The Walking Dead
by AaronW
Summary: A "re-adaption" of The Walking Dead Comics, changes to the TV show, etc. Rick Grimes, who awakens from a coma to find the world dominated by flesh-eating walkers and after discovering his wife dead in their family home, sets out to find his son. Done with Season 1 and halfway through Season 2
1. S1Ep1 - Nights Gone Bye

The Roaming Dead

1x01 - "Nights Gone Bye"

SYNOPSIS - Running low on gas on a deserted Georgia Highway, Sheriff's Deputy Rick Grimes pulls his police cruiser past overturned cars to a gas station. Vehicles, corpses, children's toys, and abandoned campsites litter the ground; a homemade sign hanging at the station reads "NO GAS."

As Rick searches, he hears something and ducks down, glimpsing at the slippered feet of a little girl beneath a car as she picks up a teddy bear on the ground. He calls to her until slowly she turns around to face him. He tells her not to be afraid, but it appears he should be the one who's nervous. Her lips and right cheek have been torn away exposing raw teeth and muscle. Rick's face falls as she starts toward him, growling. She approaches faster and he steps backwards, draws his gun and prepares to shoot. Nearby, Morgan Jones senses Rick's hesitation and steps forward with his gun and shoots her in the head.

(The Roaming Dead - Title Credits)

Before the apocalypse, Rick and his partner Shane Walsh are eating hamburgers and fries in their police cruiser while they joke about the differences between men and women. When the conversation turns to RickThe difference between men and women?I would never say something that cruel to her

**An APB from the neighboring Linden County reports a high-speed pursuit in progress, explaining that there are two men, armed and dangerous, in the car being chased. Rick and Shane dumb their food and rush to the scene, where they lay down a spike strip and meet up with their co-workers, Lam Kendal and Leon Basset. As they all wait for the car, the youngest officer, Basset, muses about their chances of getting on a police chase reality show. Rick tells him to focus and worry about having a round in his gun chamber and the safety off. Basset sheepishly checks his gun while Shane muses that it would be getting on one of them shows. **

**The car approaches, pursued by two more cruisers from Linden County. The suspect vehicle speeds over the spike strip, shredding the tires. It loses control and flips off the road, rolling several times before coming to a rough stop upside down in the field. mutters Shane, his gun cocked as the officers descend on the vehicle. Rick carefully approaches the overturned car. The first man emerges from the vehicle and immediately starts shooting at the officers. Rick yells at him to drop his gun, but the man shoots directly at Rick and hits him in the chest. Shane kills the gunman as Rick falls to the ground. The second man emerges from the vehicle brandishing a rifle, but one of the Linden County officers shoots him in the chest and kills him. **

**m alright!**Shane, you do not tell Lori that happened! Ever!s aid. He yells at Rick to stay with him, barking at Leon to call an ambulance.

Shane delivers flowers to Rick in the hospital, but Rick isn't fully conscious or at all aware of what but no one comes.

He stumbles into the bathroom, guzzling water directly from the tap before he heads for the door. He peers through his window s station and tries to phone s dead. He finds a set of matches and strikes one, looking for anything else worth taking from behind the desk.

A flickering light draws his attention and through a doorway, Rick sees the ravaged body of a nurse missing most of her skin. His eyes cans seeing and he backs away, confused and afraid. Further down the hall, the walls are covered in blood and riddled with bullet holes. A double door leading into the cafeteria has been chained shut - a message scrawled across in black paint reads T OPEN / DEAD INSIDE.s hands, her fingernails dirty and broken, reach through the cracks and fiddle with the padlock and chains. Terrified, Rick stumbles backwards. He tries the elevator, but its a military helicopter, sandbags, and other signs of a military cordon, but everything has been abandoned.

Rick wanders down the road in his hospital gown, spotting an overturned bicycle in a park. As he reaches for it, Rick fails to notice the body of a woman due to the darkness s bedroom s breathing is labored as he reaches forward and pulls back the covers to reveal the deceased body of his wife, Lori Grimes.

Falling to the floor, Rick sobs. He bangs his head with his hands wondering if this is real or if it Rick reaches for it and stares at the top photo of his family. He mutters Carls name again. Walking down the steps, Rick pauses and eventually sits down. Het make out who they are due to the darkness of the night, but the moonlight is clearly showing two people shuffling slowly towards him. Rick calls out for help and tells that het respond, but continue walking towards him s too weak and deflated to argue. Morgan moves towards the house next door and motions for Rick to hurry up.

Once inside and with the door secured, Morgan moves Rick into the living room and asks him if heJust shot, as far as I know,the feverIt but have you eaten anything lately, hes left over from their canned bean supper from earlier in the night. As Rick eats, he recognizes the home they forcing Morgan to admit, **Rick tells Morgan that he found Fred**I never should have fired that gun tonight,The sound draws re all over the were Walkers,One thing I do know, don** Morgan says. he explains, you come back.s seen it happen. **

**Rick is devastated. Morgan sees Rick**She died in the other room on that bed,I should have put her down. I just didn't have it in me. s out there em,t find him tonight and that it looks like Rick needs his rest. **Morgan encourages. He tells Rick to not look out of the window or let any light out. **

**The next morning, Morgan awakes to find that Rick has already left the house. He isn**I think this is something he** Morgan replies. **

**After Rick finishes digging the grave, he returns to his own home. Morgan and Duane come up behind him and ask whether he needs anything. Rick wonders to Morgan if his son would still be alive. He explains that there were some empty drawers in Carls dead body was and becomes emotional again. Morgan steps forward and shuts the door, telling Rick he needs to concentrate on finding his son. s in Atlanta, I bet, where they is also in Atlanta. Rick is torn on whether to head to Atlanta or first check this area for his son. Morgan explains that hes Department, where they luxuriate in hot showers thanks to a still-operating back-up generator. Morgan jokes that this settles the bet between father and son on whether Rick was a bank robber **The streets weren** he recalls. He explains that he and his son never got to Atlanta because they got after his wife got bit, and after she died they just stayed hunkered down at the Drake his sheriff from his locker. He hands Morgan a rifle and some ammunition. **

**Loading the weapons into the trunk of his cruiser, Rick prepares to set off for Atlanta. Morgan hands Duane a kitbag to store in his jeep. Rick tells Morgan. t be so rusty,**We** Rick begins, m trying to find mine. Ire better off together on this and I think you know it.t leave him like this. re sure they says Rick, approaching a walker near the stoop. re dead,**Except for something in the brain, thats gotta be the head.I** Rick says. He shoots Basset in the forehead, putting him down, before returning to the police cruiser. **

**Morgan pauses and watches Rick open the driver's side door of the cruiser. may need it,s department to grab another item s hat. He dusts it off and places it on Duanes CB radio. In a camp outside the city with an old man perched atop an RV with a pair of binoculars, a group of survivors receives the transmission. A young blonde girl in pink rushes to the CB, but cant recognize Ricks cruiser runs out of fuel, so he abandons his car on the highway and heads out on foot with a gas can, making sure to grab the Grimes family photo he keeps above his rear-view mirror and stashing it in his jacket pocket. Morgan and Duane follow suit, grabbing whatever gear they can carry and begin walking with Rick along the road. They approach an older farm house no response. Duane yells as he takes notice of a walker coming out of the nearby barn. Rick raises his gun to shoot, but Morgan calls him off. He instead opts for his wooden bat and smashes it against the skull of the walker. Rick moves towards the barn with his gun still raised and discovers an older pick-up truck parked inside. Above the visor, Rick finds a set of keys for the vehicle which still has nearly a full tank of gas. **

**Hundreds of burned out cars trying to leave the city have stalled out on the other side of the freeway, while the road into the city is completely deserted. Nonetheless, the trio continues to drive into the devastated metropolis with no leads for the whereabouts of Ricks vehicle awakens a few walkers along the way, so he speeds up as they begin to emerge from buses and alleys. **

**As the group continues navigating the streets, more of the undead appear to be alerted to their presence. The sounds given off from this older pick-up truck are anything but stealthy. Eventually they take a turn and find themselves staring straight down the street at a horde of walkers. The undead begin to swarm them; forcing Rick to give the vehicle more gas to push through them. Rick takes a turn to the right, but the roadway is blocked by a military tank and more of the undead. **

**There doesn't seem to be a way out. Rick apologizes to Morgan, "I never should have brought you and your son." Morgan doesn't acknowledge Rick's comments and the truck becomes surrounded by a group of about fifteen of the undead. The vehicle begins to shake back and forth - Rick having a harder time maneuvering the vehicle now. **

**The situation appears dire. Duane cries. Morgan is holding his son tight. Through the gathering horde of undead, Rick spies a glimmer of hope - a young Asian man standing by an alleyway waving his hands in the air trying to get their attention.**


	2. S1Ep2 - Viscera

The Roaming Dead 1x02 – "Viscera" SYNOPSIS – At a picturesque survivors' camp on the mountain outside Atlanta, we follow a woman in pink carrying a red bucket. Survivors are handling various tasks throughout camp – taking watch from the roof of an RV, fixing tools, or doing laundry. The woman in pink – Amy – dumps mushrooms from the bucket into a bowl held by her sister Andrea. Amy asks how to tell if the mushrooms are poisonous, to which Andrea replies that they can check with Shane when he gets back to be sure. Andrea takes the bucket and begins to head into the forest where Dale Horvath – the old man taking watch on top of the RV – tells Andrea to not go too far. "If you see anything, holler. I'll come runnin'," he says. "Yes, Dad," Andrea muses. She heads into the forest unnerved by the sounds of snapping branches and moving brush, while she bends down to search for more mushrooms. The sounds intensify and Andrea is about to scream for help until she turns to see Shane and Carl emerging from the dense forest. Shane moves towards Andrea and gives her a kiss – Carl smiles. Holding another bucket, Carl tells Andrea that Shane was showing him how to catch frogs. "We'll be eating good tonight," Shane interjects. Andrea tells Shane and Carl that they should start heading back to camp. Shane smiles again and stares at Carl, "We wouldn't want Grandpa Dale to get cranky." Carl laughs as the three start heading back towards camp. *** Sitting inside the older pick-up truck, Rick puts the vehicle in reverse and slams on the gas – the vehicle shoots back and pushes away several of the undead surrounding the rear of the vehicle. He slides the shifter into drive and begins ploughing through the undead that are moving in front of the vehicle. Rick positions the vehicle as close to the alleyway where the young Asian man is anxiously awaiting their arrival. Morgan, Duane, and then Rick pile out of the truck from the passenger side as more of the undead reach their location – thankfully, the majority of them can't get down the alleyway due to the truck blocking their path. The three race down the alleyway following the lead of the unknown young man. They reach a fire-escape ladder and begin to climb. Rick fires a few shots at the approaching undead that have managed to get around (or over) the truck. "Nice moves there, Clint Eastwood. Are you the new sheriff? Come driving in to clean up the town?" blasts the young man, who introduces himself as Glenn Rhee. Rick thanks him for saving his life and introduces Morgan and Duane to their saviour. As they walk across the roof, Rick asks Glenn why he stuck his neck out for them back there, to which Glenn replies, "Call it foolish naïve hope that if I'm ever that far up shit creek, somebody would do the same for me." Glenn leads Rick, Morgan and Duane down a staircase to an alley, which is free of all but four walkers thanks to a bus blockade. When they reach street level, Glenn radios his group before two other people wearing riot gear emerge from the building and beat down the walkers. The group rushes inside a department store, where a female named Jacqui greats them. Morales and T-Dog remove some of the riot gear – Morales is sour at Rick and Morgan. "We came to the city to gather supplies. You know what the key to savaging is," Morales asks Rick, "Surviving! You know what the key to surviving is? Not driving down the streets in an old piece of shit truck and alerting every walker in the area that you're here." Outside, walkers press against the store's front doors. The glass begins to crack. T-Dog tries to radio "the others" but fails to get a signal. He suggests they might have better luck on higher ground. They begin to hear gunshots. "Oh god, is that Dixon?" Jacqui voices aloud as they race to the roof of the building. The group finds Merle Dixon, a middle-aged redneck, firing at walkers with a rifle. Morales and T-Dog chastise Merle for wasting bullets and attacking more walkers. Merle scoffs at talking orders from a "taco vendor" and a "nigger, who has recruited some of his brothers – referencing Morgan and Duane" which sets off a fight between him and T-Dog. Merle handily beats T-Dog and presses a handgun to his forehead, before spitting on his chest and proposing a change in leadership. He has the terrified group between his fingers as they race to help T-Dog, and the redneck holds his gun in their faces. Rick intervenes, hitting Merle with the butt of the rifle and punching him in the face before handcuffing him to a pipe. "Things are different now," Rick tells Merle. "There's us, and the dead. We survive this by pulling together, not apart." He holds a gun to Merle's head to cool him down, but when Merle challenges that he wouldn't shoot him because he's a cop, Rick answers, "All I am anymore is a man looking for his son." He finds Merle's stash of cocaine in his shirt pocket and tosses the canister over the roof – infuriating the man in handcuffs. Morales tells Rick there's no refugee center, scoffing that it was a pipe dream. They're with a small group of survivors staying outside the city, but T-Dog can't reach them. "We're on our own," Rick says. With the streets no longer safe, Rick suggests they try to escape underground. Jacqui, who formerly worked in the Atlanta zoning officer says that the old building might have a flood tunnel that would provide access to the sewers. They leave T-Dog, Morgan, and Duane on the roof with Merle so he can keep trying to reach "the others," heading to the basement. Rick asks Morgan to keep a handle on things up here until he gets back. Glenn's most valuable asset to the group is that he's fast on his feet and good at making supply runs. He's upset that he's been able to make supply runs into the city by himself for weeks, but "the first time I bring a group, everything goes to hell," which he acknowledges is due to saving Rick, Morgan, and Duane. He's never gone down the tunnel in all the previous times he's been to the department store, because it's dark and ominous and he muses, "Well, who'd want to go, right?" Glenn tells Rick to take watch near the front of the store because he's got the gun – and he'll need it if the "geeks" break through the doors. He selects Morales as his wing man to follow him underground and tasks Jacqui with keeping watch in case anything goes wrong on either end. Glenn and Morales head to the rat-infested, pitch-dark basement armed with flashlights, while Rick stands guard at the front of the store, walkers clawing at the windowed doors. Back on the roof, T-Dog is still unsuccessfully trying to radio the others, and Merle tries to convince Morgan to get the hacksaw in a bag of tools on the roof by telling him, "Listen man, you and your boy just showed up at the wrong time. This is all one big misunderstanding. It's nothing personal; just, your kind and my kind ain't meant to mix. I wasn't raised like that. It ain't my fault. There's no reason we can't work together in parlay as long as there's some kind of mutual gain involved." T-Dog, sporting a fat lip, scoffs at Merle's offer and tells Morgan, "You help him and the next thing he will want that rifle over there to shoot your cop friend when he comes back up." *** Glenn and Morales travel through the sewer until they reach a grated barrier. They discuss ways to cut through, but abandon the idea when they see a walker devouring a rat on the other side. The walker reaches at them through the grate and they step back. They return, with Jacqui to Rick's position where they tell him that the sewer is not an option. *** Back on the roof, Rick spots a cube van at the nearby construction site. The ignition keys should be nearby, Rick theorizes, but they need to get past the walkers undetected. The group explains that if they hear you, see you, or smell you, they eat you. Rick latches on to the scent idea. "What if we smelt like them?" Rick wonders aloud, "I have an idea." Wearing rubber gloves and rain jackets, Rick and Morales drag a dead walker in from the alley. They acknowledge the man's lost humanity – his name was Wayne Dunlap, he had a picture of a pretty girl in his wallet and he was an organ donor. He used to be just like that rest of them. Rick grabs an axe and the group hacks apart the body. Morgan shields Duane from the brutality and moves with him to another part of the room. He and Glenn then smear the corpse's guts on their jackets and the group is absolutely disgusted. Glenn throws up. Morgan offers Glenn one of his guns that he graciously accepts. Before leaving, Rick tosses Morgan the key to Merle's handcuffs. Outside, Rick and Glenn shuffle through crowds of walkers carrying weapons, unnoticed. Still walkers pass them and some stop to take another smell, but they're managing. They crawl under the bus blocking the alley and slide out slowing on the other side. T-Dog, Morales, Jacqui, Morgan and Duane race to the roof to follow Rick and Glenn with a pair of binoculars, and T-Dog tries again to radio the others. Merle gets let in on the plan for the first time and he scoffs, "That asshole's out on the street with the handcuff keys?" Morgan turns to Merle and shows him the handcuff key, "Rick didn't forget about you." *** Back at camp with skies graying quickly and thunder audible in the distance. Andrea remarks, "It's late. They should have been back by now." Dale is working on his RV's troublesome radiator hose with Jim, who's wearing a mechanic jumpsuit. Shane is teaching Carl how to tie knots. Dale receives T-Dog's garbled transmission explaining that they're trapped in the department store, surrounded by hundreds of walkers. They make contact for just a second and it's clear that "the others" that the group in Atlanta keep referring to are the people Rick is looking for. "We do not go after them," Shane insists. "We do not risk the rest of the group." *** Back in Atlanta, overcast skies give way to a sudden rainstorm, washing the zombie guts off Rick and Glenn's jackets. Morales tries to will the storm to pass, calling it a cloudburst. But with their human smell unmasked, Rick and Glenn are immediately attacked by walkers. Fighting them off, they run to the construction site, hopping a fence that's blocking access. Rick shoots at walkers as they try to climb the fence, while Glenn runs for the keys. As Glenn tracks them down in a lock box and he and Rick run for the van, one walker is able to hop the fence and comes after Glenn. The crowd of walkers knocks down the fence and charges at them, but they speed away in the van just in time. They drive away from the department store to avoid the horde, and the group still on the roof worries that they're being left behind. But Rick orders Glenn to radio the group to get ready for pick-up and he wires a red Dodge Challenger spots car for Glenn to lure the walkers away. The car alarm blares when they break through the window. The group grabs their bags and rushes from the rooftop toward the loading dock, with no concern for unlocking Merle's handcuffs. "Dad?" Duane questions, realizing that Merle is still handcuffed. Morgan forgot about him in all the excitement and moves over towards Merle, kneeling down next to him as he reaches for the handcuffed hand. "Let's just stay out of each other's way, deal?" Morgan asks. Merle gives him a nod as Morgan unlocks the handcuff. T-Dog, Morgan, Duane, and now Merle race down the stairwell to join the group just as the walkers break through the interior doors and enter the department store. Outside the loading bay, at the back entrance of the store, with walkers lured away by Glenn's car alarm, Rick pulls the van up and the group piles in, catching their breath as they drive away from the city. The group ponders the loss for only a second before they wonder where Glenn is. A wailing red muscle car speeds full throttle out of Atlanta – inside, Glenn screams with joy. 


	3. S1Ep3 - Tension

**The Roaming Dead**

**1x03 - "Tension"**

**SYNOPSIS – Glenn's red Dodge Challenger travels down a portion of the highway towards his camp outside of Atlanta – the car alarm still blaring. As Glenn passes by an overturned bus and a bunch of abandoned cars, the alarm grabs the attention of a handful of undead walkers – they begin exiting the bus and vehicles and start shuffling towards the last known sound of the car alarm.**

**(The Roaming Dead – Title Credits)**

**Sitting beside the fire, Shane is showing Carl the proper technique to clean a shotgun. Carl watches intently and asks when he can have his own gun. "I'm old enough. I can protect people at camp," Carl says. Shane dodges the question as they **are interrupted by the approach of Glenn's Challenger – its alarm still sounding as he drives into camp. **Andrea, Amy, and a few of the others move towards the approaching car. Amy is anxious to know where everyone else is at – if they are okay. Glenn reassures everyone that they are fine.**

Jim, a solemn man and former mechanic, disconnects the alarm. Shane chastises Glenn for drawing attention to their location. Dale interjects and downplays it, indicating that the sound would have bounced off the hills. Shane shoots Dale a glare, to which Dale points at Glenn telling him to be more careful in the future.

The cube van arrives and Morales tells Rick to come meet everybody, though he looks tired and far more interested in continuing on to find his son. He follows anyway. Morales is reunited with his wife, son and daughter. **This reunion causes Carl to tear up – remembering his mother and father. He stands close to Shane, who pulls Carl in closely to comfort him.** Glenn begins to explain to the group that they made it out of Atlanta thanks to the "new guy," and Morales adds that he's a police officer like Shane.

Rick emerges from the van – **Morgan and Duane are walking a few feet behind him.** **The first person Rick recognizes is Shane and the pair trade stunned glances as Carl tearfully lifts his head and spots Rick. **"Dad!" Carl shouts as he runs into Rick's open arms. **The rest of the group, and Shane, watch on dumbfounded.**

Later, around the campfire, Rick describes the disorientation he felt waking up alone in the hospital. "I felt like I'd been ripped out of my life, put somewhere else." **Carl jumps in and tells the group that his mom (Lori) had told him that Rick was supposed to be moved from the hospital to Atlanta and that's where they were going to go before she got sick. Carl slides further into Rick's arms as he remembers those hard days. Changing the subject slightly, Rick explains that he met up with Morgan and his son – he figures now he wouldn't have made it through the night had it not been for them taking him in. "I had no idea what was going on," Rick added.**

**Morales turns to Morgan, "What's your story?" Morgan doesn't offer much beyond alluding to the fact that it isn't much different than Rick's story, "… wife and all," he adds. Morgan explains some of the hardships that he and his son faced – the looting and trying to fend for themselves, "It wasn't easy. But at least we had each other." Morgan pulls Duane in tightly.**

Nearby, Ed Peletier – a hulking, blue-collar type – stokes his family's fire with a fresh log. Shane intervenes, instructing Ed to pull the log so they can't be seen from a distance. Ed tells him to mind his own business, "for once," but concedes under Shane's forceful command – instructing his meek wife Carol to pull the log from the fire. Ed glares as Shane bids Carol and their daughter Sophia good evening, asking if they're doing okay. "Just fine," Carol says, hiding from her husband's stony glare.

Shane returns to his group's fire, and Dale asks about what happened with **Merle in Atlanta. T-Dog explains that, "he lost it – again."** Glenn explains that he's not trying to bring race into this, **"but, if it wasn't for Rick, I don't know if any of us 'non-white' folk would've made it back."** **Shane suggests giving Merle some supplies and sending him on his way. "You'd have to kick Daryl out too," Andrea adds and then explains to Rick and Morgan that Merle and Daryl are brothers. "It may not be a bad idea," Dale offers. Rick interjects, "We're better off sticking together. Alone – we don't stand a chance. I think we just need to try and keep Merle in check."**

**Later, Carl is already asleep inside Shane's tent. Shane offers to Rick to sleep there for the night until they sort out the sleeping arrangements – Shane figures that for tonight he could crash with Andrea and gives Rick a knowing stare. Rick explains how grateful he is to Shane for protecting his son. "I can never repay you for this," Rick explains. Shane and Rick shake hands and have a quick embrace. **

**Shane stares at Rick as the moment lingers, both knowing what is on the others mind, "Lori fought right until the end, man. She was strong. Carl was strong too." Rick pauses as the emotion floods back; he had been so elated in finding Carl that he had let himself push back the thoughts of what happened to Lori.**

**"How did she…?" Rick began. Shane goes on to explain that the first few days were crazy – no one understood what was happening and the government was telling everyone to head to the city for protection. "She was worried about you. She didn't want to leave without knowing you were going to be okay," Shane tells Rick. "They were supposed to medi-vac all the patients to the refugee center, but the hospital was overrun. I tried to get you out, but you weren't breathing. I thought you were dead," Shane continues.**

**"Before we left for Atlanta, Lori was attacked at home – I think she was just trying to help the person at first. She was bitten in the arm. I didn't think much about it at the time. The guy was crazy and I had to shoot him," Shane explains. "She started to get sick – I'd never seen anything get to someone so fast. I managed to get a hold of the guys at the station who were going to send some nurse or doctor over – but they never came. Then it was too late to try and move her to Atlanta – she was burning up." Rick begins to tremble, but manages to keep his composure.**

**"Carl was with her right up until the end," Shane reassures. "She wasn't alone. I promised her that I would look after Carl and get him to Atlanta." Rick closes his eyes as a tear streams down his cheek. "If I had been there," Rick responds in a depressing tone. Shane taps him on the chest and fires back at Rick, "Stop! This isn't your fault. You didn't ask to be shot and stuck in a hospital. No one knew that 'this' was coming."**

**Rick takes a deep breath, leaning over with his hands on his knees. "You found Carl, man. That's gotta count for somethin' and he's going to need you," Shane tells Rick. "Did she turn into one of them?" Rick asks. Shane shakes his head solemnly, "She didn't want Carl to see that. She was worried that she'd attack him or hurt someone else." It's now Shane who takes a deep breath before continuing, "She made me promise that once the end came, that I would…" Shane pauses, but Rick already knows the rest of the story as he recalls the bullet hold in the side of his wife's head.**

**"Get some sleep, man," Shane directs Rick, "We can talk more in the morning." Rick gives a slight nod as he moves towards the tent. Shane moves away and heads towards the RV to take watch for a few hours.**

The next morning, Rick wakes to find a fresh pair of clothes laid out for him **outside **the tent. He can hear children playing outside. He gets up, bidding the other survivors good morning as he steps outside. He finds Carol ironing his freshly laundered uniform, though she laments how much harder it is without her old Maytag; Rick thanks her for her kindness.

Nearby, Glenn mourns as Morales, Dale, and Jim strip the Challenger down for parts, taking gas for the camp's generators. "Maybe we'll get to steal another one someday," Rick consoles him, patting him on the back as he sees **Carl talking to Duane and Morgan near the campfire.**

**"You look refreshed," Morgan announces as Rick moves closer. "Best sleep I've had in a long while," Rick explains as he takes a seat next to Carl and smiles. When Merle walks by the campfire, Rick tries to grab his attention but Merle simply continues walking past him purposely. Rick gets up and follows – jogging slightly to catch up to Merle. **

**"We should clear the air," Rick announces. Merle stops. "I never had the chance to really introduce myself, I'm...," Rick begins. "You're the asshole cop – just like the other one – who thinks he can stroll on into our group and lead the charge," Merle interrupts. Rick is caught off guard, "I never said…" Merle takes a step forward towards Rick, "I bet you think you have all the answers. Lead us into salvation and all that bullshit." Merle walks off past the RV as Dale watches their interaction intently.**

**As Rick starts moving back towards the campfire, screams erupt from within the forest. Amy, Sophia and Jacqui, who had been out walking, run into camp deeply shaken. **Sophia calls out for her mother and the men grab various weapons from the campsite.

Finding Amy, Sophia, and Jacqui unscathed, Rick Shane, Jim, Morales, and Glenn run past them into a clearing where a walker is devouring a deer with crossbows sticking out of it. **Andrea and Morgan follow.** The five men beat on the walker until Dale arrives and decapitates it. "This is the first one we've had up here. They never come this far up the mountain," Dale remarks. "They're running out of food in the city, that's what," Jim offers.

The group hears the bushes rustling and Shane raises his gun protectively. A man in a sleeveless t-shirt, Daryl Dixon, emerges from the woods carrying a crossbow and hauling over a dozen dead squirrels. He's upset that the walker ate the deer he'd been tracking for miles, and the food's been wasted. He cusses out the walker, kicking at its corpse, while Dale tries to tell him he's not solving anything by lashing out – which causes him to shoot off at Dale. The walker's decapitated head starts grinding its teeth, growling, and Amy and Andrea take off disgusted. Daryl fires his crossbow into its skull. "Come on people, what the hell? It's gotta be the brain – don't y'all know nothing'?" he rebukes, before heading into camp looking for Merle.

Daryl makes it back to camp and starts shouting at the RV for Merle. **Merle emerges from the RV – he looks hungover and still half asleep. "Whatchya got, little brother," he asks. Daryl takes one of the squirrels off its rope and tosses it at Merle, "Breakfast." "There's still some broth left over from earlier," Amy sheepishly announces to Daryl who shoots her a glance. Dale steps forward, "I think what she means is that you could save the squirrel for later and help yourself to what's already been cooked."**

**Daryl glares with a halfway smirk on his face, "No one's stoppin' you from goin' out there and getting yourself some real food." Rick tries to calm the situation, but Daryl fires back at him, "Who the hell are you?" "Rick Grimes," he offers. "This bastard handcuffed me to the roof when we were in the city, trying to act all tough," Merle announces as he shows Daryl the red marks on his wrist. "There was a good reason for that," Rick responds calmly.**

**Merle stares at Rick – the tension obvious for anyone watching the exchange. Shane steps forward and gets Rick to turn away. Daryl does the same with Merle – he gathers the squirrels and the two head off into the woods, likely to cook up Daryl's latest spoils.**

Later in the day, Andrea, Amy, Carol, and Jacqui are doing laundry and discussing the division of labor around camp. "How did we get stuck doing all the Hattie McDaniel work?" Jacqui mumbles, and Amy replies, "The world ended. Didn't you get the memo?" The discussion turns to talk of the modern luxuries they miss, like Carol's washing machine, Jacqui's coffee maker, and Amy's cellphone. "I miss my vibrator," Andrea admits. "Me too," Carol whispers. The women break into laughter.

Carol's husband, Ed, has been standing watch nearby, smoking a cigarette and their laughter draws his attention. He looms over them and Andrea scoffs, "Problem, Ed?" He shakes his head and tells his wife to focus on her work. Carol rubs clothes against the washboard subserviently.

Ed continues to loom over the women doing laundry. Andrea finally confronts him. "Don't think I won't knock you on your ass," Ed warns her, demanding that Carol come with him. "So she can show up with fresh bruises later, Ed?" Jacqui asks. Carol tearfully attempts to calm him while the others try to intervene. Ed slaps Carol across the face.

Shane is nearby and watches the confrontation go down between Ed and the ladies – he rushes over and grabs Ed off of Carol, throws him to the ground and pummels his face. "You put your hands on your wife, your littler girl, or anybody else in this camp one more time, I will not stop next time. I'll beat you to death, Ed," Shane warns.

**Rick and Morgan, with their sons, had just emerged from the woods and had begun walking toward the water when Rick takes notice of the Shane and Ed confrontation. "Shane!" Rick yells as he rushes over to separate the two. "Back off," Rick tells Shane.** Shane kicks Ed in the side before storming away while the women look on stunned. **Morgan walks up to Rick and whispers quietly, "I'm starting to get that feeling that this camp is ready to implode." Rick doesn't respond – he looks back at the ladies and then down towards Ed, who now has Carol running over to him crying.**

**As the sun begins to set, a group of approximately ten undead emerge from a section of the dense forest – they appear to take notice in the distance a small camp. The sounds of laughter and general camp activity appear to focus their attention as they shuffle forward. **


	4. S1Ep4 - Premonitions

**The Roaming Dead**

**1x04 – "Premonitions"**

Andrea and Amy sit in a canoe on the quarry lake, fishing. Amy holds an umbrella to protect herself from the sun. An argument starts over the type of fishing knot their father used, and they realized that their father taught them different fishing knots based on Andrea's need to catch the fish and Amy's need to throw them back. Both women are on the verge of tears before Andrea evokes their father's rule, "No crying in the boat. Scares the fish." Amy asks Andrea if she thinks that their mom and dad are alright, suggesting that "maybe Florida wasn't hit so bad." Andrea gives her a sorrowful look as they break the rule anyway. "I think it was more for Dad than the fish," reasons Andrea sniffling.

Nearby, on top of his RV, Dale is keeping watch. He looks through his binoculars and in the field above the campsite, he sees Jim furiously digging holes into the ground.

**(The Roaming Dead – Title Credits)**

Dale approaches Jim, who refuses to respond as he digs what appear to be graves. Dale's concern mounts quickly when Jim won't take a drink of water, despite the intense late summer heat. Amy and Andrea, meanwhile, present the group with their lines of fish – a huge catch. Morales thanks the women, expressing gratitude that his children would have foot to eat. Carl asks them if they could teach him **and Duane** how to fish like that. Dale interrupts the excitement to express concern over Jim, and points him out still furiously digging on the hilltop.

Shane, **Rick**, and the others approach Jim, who still won't explain why he's digging. **Amy explains to Jim that he's going to scare the kids if he's going to dig graves in front of them.** Shane orders Jim to take a break. "If I don't, then what? Jim challenges him. "Then you're gonna beat my face in like Ed Peletier, aren't cha." He swings his shovel at Shane, who tackles him. Subdued, Jim cries over the death of his wife and two sons. "The only reason I got away," Jim tells the terrified group, "is 'cause the dead were too busy eating my family."

At camp, Shane has tied Jim to a tree and is offering him water. Unlike earlier when Dale offered him a drink, this time Jim accepts it easily. **Rick watches on and when Shane is away from Jim's earshot, asks if 'this' is really the best way to handle things – referencing Jim being tied to a tree. Shane shrugs, "You tell me, Rick. I'm figuring this out as I go. He would've killed himself out there all day diggin' holes." Shane walks away disgruntled.**

Jim apologizes to **Dale** for scaring the children. When asked why he was digging, Jim explains, "I had a reason, don't remember," Jim says. "Something I dreamt." He tells Carl that the boy was in his dream, and that his dad was there too. "You were worried about him," Jim tells Carl. "Can't remember the rest."

**Rick steps forward and offers Jim some more water. As he accepts, Rick begins untying the rope. "Don't make me regret this," Rick says softly. Jim nods, "You're a good man, Rick. You should be leadin' this group." Jim turns to Carl, "Your dad – he's tough as nails." As Jim stands, Rick tells him to go rest inside the RV and to stay out of the sun for the remainder of the day. Shane watches intently the interaction between Rick and Jim. **

**Morgan comes up behind Rick as Carl and Duane run off towards the RV together. "That Shane guy – how well do you know him?" Morgan inquires. "Since high school," Rick explains, "Why do you ask?" Morgan is hesitant, "He seems a little – I don't know – unhinged." "He's always been a bit quick tempered, but he's good kind," Rick reassures. Morgan gives a nod before telling Rick to be careful, "…this new world, what we are all going through – it can change you." Morgan walks off as the words linger in Rick's mind.**

**Later in the day, Rick, Shane, Glenn, and Dale are discussing their supplies – they are already running low. Glenn explains that the last supply run wasn't as productive as it usually is due to the curveball they were thrown. Rick nods and offers to be a part of the next supply run to make up for the distractions he caused in the last one. The three decide that they will worry about it all tomorrow morning. "There's more than enough food for tonight," Glenn explains. **

**Rick wonders aloud just how safe it is for them to stay so close to the city. Shane is somewhat offended by the comment as he has been a big advocate in remaining close to Atlanta as he feels the government will get a handle on things. "Plus," Shane adds, "We have access to supplies in the city – we're good."**

**Their discussion is cut off by the sound of a rifle shot behind fired in the distance – Rick and Shane immediately take off in its direction with their guns drawn. As they make it through the clearing of trees, they see Merle using a small cooler as a way to steady his aim. He fires off another shot – now striking the one lone walker in the head that had been wondering aimlessly.**

**Shane is beyond furious as they reach Merle. T-Dog has now emerged from the treeline and reached their location. "Did you not learn anything from Atlanta?" T-Dog yells as he shoves Merle off of his posture. T-Dog looks around at the empty beer cans as Merle laughs at the sky obviously intoxicated.**

**"What the hell is your problem?" Shane asks in a direct tone. He grabs Merle by the collar of his clothes and forces him to his feet. Merle laughs again as he stares at Shane and spits in his face. Shane immediately hauls off and lands a punch directly in Merle's face, seemingly breaking his nose. By now, Rick has taken the rifle up from the ground and unloaded its ammo. T-Dog has opened the cooler to reveal a warm six-pack of beer, some beef jerky, and a few cans of soup. "Holding out on us?" T-Dog asks.**

**Daryl arrives. "What the hell is going on? What the fuck are you guys doing?" Daryl demands as he takes notices of Merle lying in the ground, face bloodied. This time Rick has had enough, he walks up to Daryl and pulls him aside, "You seem like a reasonable person – someone who can understand the complexities of what we are dealing with here." "Your brother," Rick explains, "…is a danger to us all. How many walkers do you think heard that gunshot?" Daryl remains silent.**

**Rick turns Daryl around now to face back upon Merle, Shane, and T-Dog, "You need to open your eyes and see what your brother is really like." Rick gives Daryl a slight push towards Merle as Shane and T-Dog, who is now carrying the cooler, begin to walk away. "Give me back ma' beer, nigger!" Merle yells as Daryl approaches him telling him to be quiet. "I'll fuck you up," Merle yells.**

**Later in the day and away from camp, Daryl hands Merle some wet cloth for his face – dried blood around his nose remains and two black eyes are beginning to form. Merle is shooting off in his inebriated state about how he could take them all on and doesn't need any of them. He even forces away Daryl's hand when tried to help him get rid of the remaining blood Merle had missed wiping off.**

"**What the hell is your problem?" Daryl demands. "What do you want?" Merle chuckles and avoids eye contact with Daryl, "Go fuckin' be with them. I can take care of ma'self. I don't need them and I don't need you." Daryl shakes his head, "Merle... what the hell? This isn't us versus them or you versus me. I'm your brotha, I'm on your side." "For now," Merle fires back. Daryl shakes his head, "Your my brother, Merle. I'm not going anywhere."**

Back at camp, Andrea roots through Dale's RV looking for wrapping paper. "It's Amy's birthday tomorrow, I've been marking days on the calendar to make sure," she tells Dale, showing him a necklace **she had Glenn grab during the last supply run.** "You don't give a gift unwrapped." Dale assures her that he'll find something.

The group is preparing for a fish cookout for supper and Morales proudly shows off the upgraded campfire, with higher rocks to protect the flames from sight. Ed, his face bruised and swollen, broods in his tent, declining Carol's invite to join the group for the fish fry. He grabs Sophia's arms and tells her to stay with him, but Carol says forcefully, "She wants to join in," and they leave. His injuries from Shane's beating are severe, which we see for the first time.

As they sit around the campfire after dark, Morales asks Dale why he still winds his wristwatch every day. Jacqui agrees that it's pointless, ever since the world ended. "It's important to keep track," Dale explains, paraphrasing a Faulkner parable about a father giving his son a watch – "the mausoleum of all hope and desire."

"You are so weird," laughs Amy, heading to the RV to use the bathroom. Ed, meanwhile, hears rustling outside his tent. He thinks its Carol bugging him to join the group and unzips the flap to yell at her, but instead he finds a walker. It topples him, biting his neck as more walkers swarm in.

Amy emerges from the RV, complaining that they're out of toilet paper, as a walker approaches from behind the door and **is about to bite her arm. Merle emerges from the shadows and drives his hunting knife into the walker's skull – saving Amy as she yells out of fear. Daryl steps forward with his brother to deal with the walkers as well.**

Walkers attack from all directions, grabbing and devouring people all over the campsite. **Rick turns to Morgan and tells him to protect "the boys" as Shane tosses Rick a shotgun.** Andrea runs for **Amy and tells her to get inside the RV **as Jim and Morales beat down walkers with baseball bats. **Dale urges Morgan, Duane, and Carl to follow him to the RV as well – where they secure the door and wait.**

**Chaos reigns down upon the campsite as Rick, Shane, and the others attempt to protect the camp and eliminate the others. Merle and Daryl are closer to the RV – Daryl firing off the remainder of his crossbows and pulling his own hunting knife from a satchel. As Merle moves behind the RV to eliminate a few more walkers, he sees T-Dog firing his gun at two of the walkers.**

**Merle is attacked by a walker – he manages to push the walker away to gain some distance. T-Dog's back is still to Merle and the walker. Merle's hatred for T-Dog consumes him and he moves over to the closest walker, grabbing it by the neck as it attempts to bite him. Merle staggers closer to T-Dog, and shoves the walker in his direction. The walker bites into T-Dog's neck and blood squirts out – still never realizing that Merle was the cause of his untimely demise.**

**Merle breathes heavily – for a moment it's as though he instantly regretted his action. He turns to move back towards the main portion of the camp and notices Daryl looking at him with a look of surprise and horror across his face. "Nothin' I could do, all happened so fast," Merle announces as he walks by his brother, not truly aware of how much Daryl may have witnessed.**

There are dozens of dead bodies all over the campsite – both humans and walkers – and the group looks upon the carnage despairingly. Stunned, Jim speaks – "I remember my dream now. Why I dug the holes."


	5. S1Ep5 - Wildfire

**The Roaming Dead**

**1x05 – "Wildfire"**

The morning after the massacre at camp, Rick stares at the sunrise over Atlanta with **Morgan by his side. "Atlanta isn't what we thought," he tells Morgan. "It belongs to the dead now." Morgan turns to Rick, "It isn't safe here. We're too close to the city." Rick nods and stares blankly across the trees and open fields towards Atlanta, silently wishing that they had found something different.**

**Jacqui cradles T-Dog's body next to the RV. Nearby, Jim, Dale, Morales, and Glenn are helping to 'clean' up the campsite – throwing bodies into a growing fire. Daryl is seeing swinging at the dead walkers' heads with a pickaxe. Andrea kneels next to Jacqui and offers some level of comfort, telling her that T-Dog was a good man. Jacqui explains that she didn't really know him that well, but the death still weighs on her.**

**Rick gives Daryl a nod as Andrea pulls Jacqui away. Daryl swings the pickaxe down upon T-Dog's head to ensure that he doesn't turn.**

**(The Roaming Dead – Title Credits)**

**Daryl and Morale begin to move T-Dog's body towards the fire, **but Glenn stops them. "We don't burn our people," Glenn yells. "We bury them!" Frustrated and sweating from the heat, Daryl lashes out, **"Dead is dead. Ain't nothin' gonna matter for him now."** Daryl storms off.

As Jacqui and Jim continue to pile up bodies, she notices blood on his shirt. He tries to convince her he just got some blood on him by moving bodies but she presses. "Please don't tell," he begs her, but Jacqui's too terrified not to. "A walker bit Jim," she announces as Jim insists that he's fine, but he grabs a shovel to press the group away from him as they demand to see his stomach. **Rick steps forward and catches Jim's stare. "Show us," Rick says softly as he approaches Jim calmly. Jim lifts his shirt to reveal a bite wound on his abdomen. **"I'm okay," Jim says with far less conviction.

"I say we put a pickaxe in his head," Daryl offers, stating the obvious. "The line's pretty clear; zero tolerance for walkers." The group is discussing what to do with Jim, but Rick refuses to kill the living. Rick thinks the Center for Disease Control, roughly 25 miles away inside Atlanta, might be able to help him and suggests relocating there. Shane thinks the army base at Fort Benning – 100 miles in the opposite direction – is a safer bet. Both places would provide food and shelter if up and running. Rick believes that Fort Benning got overrun like every other military cordon they've seen. He says the CDC would be Jim's best chance, and points out that in the event of a nuclear disaster or terrorist attack, they'd protect the CDC at all costs. "If there's any form of government left," he says. "It'd be there."

Daryl heads toward Jim with his pickaxe and tries to take a swing, but Rick points a gun at Daryl's head, "We don't kill the living," Rick says, but Daryl snaps back saying, "Funny, coming from a guy who just put a gun to my head." Shane steps between Daryl and Jim, agreeing with Rick and Daryl throws down his pickaxe. Rick moves Jim inside the bedroom of the RV.

Nearby, Daryl continues to swing the pickaxe into dead walkers' skulls. He raises the axe over Ed's head, but Carol stops him. "He's my husband," she says, taking the axe from Daryl's hands. Sobbing, she swings it down on Ed's skull repeatedly, taking out years of abuse in this final act to ensure he'd never reanimate. Daryl watches silently, cringing.

**Rick, Shane, and Morgan dig craves near the campsite. "This is Merle's fault," Shane announces – referencing the gun shot from earlier the previous day. Rick dismisses the idea, "We don't know that. For all we know, they followed us back from Atlanta." "Either way," Shane continues as he takes another scoop of dirt from the hole, "Merle is going to be the death of us all and needs to be dealt with." Morgan gives Rick a knowing stare.**

Daryl **and Merle** pull up in an older model pick-up truck – bodies from the campsite lying in the back of the vehicle. Daryl believes it's a mistake not to burn these bodies. "These people need to know who the hells in charge here, what the rules are," Daryl explains. "There are no rules," Rick fires back. **"I think John Wayne doesn't know what the hell to do," Merle announces in reference to Rick. "Hell," Merle continues, "the two cops can't even decide where the hell we go from here and they supposed to be partners."**

**Before Rick or Shane can respond, Morgan pushes his shovel into the loose dirt and steps forward, "You folks need to decide what you want to believe in. You can give up hope or you can find something to hold onto." Shane takes a deep breath and turns to Rick, "It's your call, man."**

**Rick pauses – looking away from the group and then turns, poised with a decision, "I don't know what we will find, but I choose to believe that there will be answers for us at the CDC." "What do you know?" Daryl fires back. "I know that regardless of our differences," Rick stresses as he looks at Merle and Daryl, "That we are better off facing this together. I'm just trying to survive, day-by-day."**

Jim is hallucinating inside the RV, his bite bleeding as he sees terrifying visions of the dead. The survivors stage a funeral, where **Shane and Dale say some parting words for their fallen comrades.** "Are we safe now, Dad?" Carl asks Rick afterward, but he can't say that they are. **"I hope so," Rick offers unconvincingly.**

In the RV, Rick tells a feverish Jim they're going to get him help as Jim coughs blood into a bucket. Jim is delirious and asks Rick to save him a grave. Rick explains to him that they are going to bring him to the CDC – he figures that someone there may be able to help Jim through this.

Emerging from the RV, **Shane and Andrea are talking closely – Rick interrupting their conversation as he steps out. Rick senses tension and asks them what the consensus is around camp. "People are scared," Andrea offers. "I still think Fort Benning is the safer bet," Shane explains. Rick turns to Shane, "You may be right. I'm flying blind here. All I can tell you is that every military cordon I've seen has been overrun and is there anything you can tell me to prove Fort Benning won't be the same?" Shane falls silent. Rick steps closer, "Listen, the CDC is only 25 miles away – 30 tops. What are we going to lose if we just check it out?" Shane looks at Andrea, then back at Rick and gives him a nod, "I'm with you."**

As the group is preparing to leave, Shane is giving instructions on how to stay with the caravan when Morales announces that his family won't be joining the group. They have family in Birmingham and want to be with their people. "I gotta do what's best for my family," he says.

Rick hands Morales a .57 with Shane's terse assumption that the rest of them will fare no better out there. They part ways – Carl and Sophia hug the Morales' kids, Eliza and Louis, while Andrea and Morale's wife, Miranda hug. The group leaves the campsite behind for good, Glenn with the map and Jim's fever worsening in the bedroom of the RV.

En route to the CDC, the RV's radiator hose bursts. While Shane and **Glenn** drive ahead to find replacement parts, Rick checks on Jim, who is in agony. "My bones are like glass. Every little bump – this ride's killing me. Leave me here," Jim says. "I'm done." Rick suggests he's delirious, but Jim insists his head is clear, "I just want to be with my family." Outside, Dale advocates respecting Jim's wishes and the group carries Jim to a nearby tree. Jacqui gives him a soft kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for fightin' for us," Dale tells Jim as the group departs, tearfully leaving him behind.

Elsewhere, a video monitor crackles to life. An unshaven man, Dr. Jenner, speaks into the camera. "It's day 194 since Wildfire was declared," he says. "And 63 days since the disease abruptly went global. There is no clinical progress to report." He says he finally figured out how to shut down the scrubbers in the east sector of the building to save power, and he admits he's been feeling off-kilter lately, thanks to living underground and sleeping odd hours.

In a bio-hazard suit and with classical music playing, Jenner passes through an airlock into a laboratory. He opens a tissue sample labeled TS-19 and begins an experiment. He takes a nap inside his safety suit while he waits for the sample to be ready for examination.

Reaching for a beaker, he accidentally knocks corrosive fluid on the tissue sample inside a petri dish. An alarm sounds as a voice over a loudspeaker alerts Jenner to the toxic air, and he runs to a decontamination chamber and disrobes. From the safety of the airlock, Jenner watches helplessly as the lab, and all of the remaining TS-19 samples are engulfed in flames – an automatic safety protocol.

Later, a drunken Jenner speaks into the monitor, "The TS-19 samples are gone. The tragedy of their loss cannot be overstated," he laments, musing that he's sure there's no one listening on the other end of his transmission anymore, which saves him any embarrassment because he might kill himself in the morning.

Rick's caravan approaches the CDC with the sun setting, where hundreds of bodies lay dead on the ground. Another military cordon was overrun. The group quietly approaches the building, which is locked and shuttered. From inside, Jenner's proximity alarm sounds. Stunned, he watches the group's approach via security monitor.

Outside, walkers begin to take notice of the survivors. Panicking, Shane suggests they can still turn around and head for Fort Benning. But Andrea points out they're out of gas and have no food – they'd never make it. Rick insists they will figure something out as the sun sets. To himself, Jenner begs them to leave.

Rick catches sight of the security camera's movement and slams his fists against the metal shutters screaming, "If you don't let us in, you're killing us." The group yells at Rick, with people crying as he continues to scream. Shane **and Morgan** start to drag him away, but suddenly the shutter doors open and drown the survivors in light.


	6. S1Ep6 - TS19

**The Roaming Dead**

**1x06 – "TS-19"**

At the onset of the Wildfire Global Outbreak, Shane visits Rick in the King County hospital, wearing his officer's uniform. Army personnel are evacuating hospital staff and executing the infected. Shane begs a nurse for help, but she runs past him screaming.

He draws his gun and heads to the door, where he watches fearfully as the military execute terrified people in the hallways. He tries to lift his comatose partner, but hesitates because of all the tubes and wires attached to machines, keeping him alive. Shane asks him desperately to tell him what to do, but Rick is unresponsive.

He ducks behind Rick's bed just as two army personnel arrive to sweep the room. When they leave, he begs his best friend to wake up. But the power goes out and Rick's monitors die. Fearing the worse, Shane puts his ear to Rick's chest. After hearing no heartbeat, Shane reluctantly leaves Rick in the room; however, he barricades the door with a hospital gurney before he flees the chaos.

**(The Roaming Dead – Title Credits)**

Rick and the other survivors file into the CDC lobby in Atlanta. Dr. Edwin Jenner meets them at the door with an automatic weapon. "Why are you here and what do you want?" Jenner demands. "A chance," Rick says simply. "That's asking an awful lot these days," Jenner replies, but he agrees to allow them in – provided they all submit to a blood test. "Grab your things," Jenner tells them. "Once this door closes, it stays closed."

Rick agrees, and they follow Jenner to the building's basement control center. Daryl asks if doctors always go around packing heat like that, and Jenner provides a deadpan response, "There were plenty left lying around. I familiarized myself." Jenner glances over towards Carl **and Duane**, "But you** two** look harmless enough."

Jenner leads the group into the control room, "Vi, bring up the lights in the big room," he says and the lights go up. "Welcome to Zone 5," he tells Rick and his group. Looking around, Rick questions the absence of other doctors. "I'm all that's left," Jenner replies. **Morgan asks about who he was speaking with**, causing Jenner to introduce them to the CDC's Computer System.

As Jenner takes a blood sample from Andrea, she asks him what the point is, "If we were infected, we'd all be running a fever." Jenner asks her to humor him. When she stands, she wobbles. "She hasn't eaten in days – none of us have," Jacqui explains to Jenner as she leans in to help Andrea. Jenner seems struck with a sudden idea.

Later, the group feasts in the CDC cafeteria, jovially drinking wine and liquor from the fully stocked fridge, jubilant about finding a safe place and a good meal. Glenn is drunk, much to Daryl's satisfaction, and Carl tries his first sup of red wine. He hates it. Rick toasts Jenner for his hospitality, and the doctor quietly raises his glass.

But, Shane isn't interested in celebrating. "When are you going to tell us what the hell happened here?" Shane asks. Jenner explains that most of the doctors fled. The rest, he says, "couldn't face walking out the door. They opted out." Jenner says that he stayed because he hoped to do some good.

**Morgan inquires as to whether much progress has been made. Jenner offers an optimistic, but cryptic response, "We know more about what it isn't, than what it is." Jenner stands up and asks the others to follow as he shows them around this area of the CDC.**

Showing the group around the building, Jenner directs the children toward the recreation room and imploring everyone to not waste electricity. Jenner references the showers and areas where the group can sleep. As the group becomes thrilled with the thought of hot showers, **Shane joins Andrea in a private shower stall – he brings a bottle of wine in with them and shares it with her. After a quick drink, they kiss passionately. Elsewhere, Rick takes off his uniform shirt – removing the Grimes' family photo from the pocket and staring at the picture of Lori. He slides to the floor as he thinks back to his wife.**

**Walking through the hallway, Merle crosses paths with Amy – he raises a bottle of wine and offers her the opportunity to share it with him. She rolls her eyes and scoffs at the thought. "Nice try," Glenn comically says as he walks by with a towel slung over his shoulder.**

Rick stumbles drunkenly into the control room, where Jenner is working on the group's blood samples. "How's the blood?" Rick asks, falling to the floor as he tries to prop himself up against a desk. "No surprises," Jenner shrugs. Rick makes a point of thanking Jenner again. He admits to Jenner that he never let on to the others what he really thought, but he knew they were running out of options before they got to the CDC. "We'd have died out there," Rick explains with his face awash with relief at their new surroundings. "It'll all be OK," Jenner replies softly.

**"My wife," Rick announces, "She didn't make it." Jenner turns towards Rick, "I'm sorry. I know how devastating it is to lose someone." "I never had the chance to say, goodbye," Rick solemnly tells Jenner as he takes another drink from the bottle. "If it wasn't for Carl, I don't know – I don't know if I could go on." "I've been battling that feeling for a while, myself," Jenner confides in Rick.**

The next morning, Rick shuffles into the cafeteria, as hung over as nearly everyone else in the group. **Daryl and Jacqui** proudly dish out powdered eggs for everyone, and Glenn groans in agony with his head down. **Jenner enters the room and places a bottle of aspirin on the table for anyone who needs it.**

Shane **and Andrea enter the room and head straight for the coffee – they stay fairly close to one another. When Jenner takes his seat at the table, **Dale starts asking questions. Andrea agrees, saying, "We didn't come here for the eggs." Jenner leads the group to the control center where he asks Vi to display the brain scans from "Test Subject 19." The ultra-secret, though worthless video shows someone who was infected and allowed the process to be recorded by the CDC.

Synapses are alight throughout the brain. "Experiences, memories. Somewhere in all that organic wiring is you. The thing that makes you unique and human," Jenner explains. The display shows the virus attacking the brain – the "first event." The brain goes dark; the body dies. "Everything you were or ever will be – gone," Jenner announces.

"Is that what happened to Jim?" Sophia wonders innocently, and Carol nods.

Jenner fast-forwards to the "second event" – TS-19's resurrection. "It restarts the brain?" **Andrea asks**. "Just the brain-stem," Jenner corrects. "The human part – the you part – that doesn't come back."

A bullet flies through TS-19's head in the video playback. Jenner admits he doesn't know what the disease is or how to treat it, and that he's lost contact with other research facilities. "I've been in the dark for almost a month," he admits. "There's nothing left anywhere. That's what you're really saying, isn't it." Andrea accuses him.

**"How's he supposed to know?" Merle argues.**

Dale interrupts the stunned silence to ask Jenner about a clock on the far wall, which is counting down from an hour. At that point, Jenner says, "the basement generators, they run out of fuel." At zero, Vi explains, a plant-wide decontamination will occur.

Rick, Shane, **Morgan**, and Glenn head to inspect the generators. The fuel reserves are nearing empty. While they're in the basement, the building's emergency lighting switches on, bathing the foursome in darkness. Upstairs, Carol is looking after the children in the recreational room when the building's air cuts off.

In his office, Jenner stares at a photograph of a woman, asking her to understand that he did the best he could in the time that he had, and he says he hopes she'd be proud of him. **"Why are you giving up?" a voice announces. Jenner is taken aback, but then realizes it is Amy standing by his doorway. She enters the room and asks who the girl in the picture was. "My wife," Jenner tells her as he passes over the photo before continuing, "Or, as you know her – Test Subject 19." Amy pauses as she recalls the video playback earlier.**

**"What was her name?" Amy asks. "Candace," Jenner quickly responds. Amy places her hand on his shoulder, "I don't know her, but she doesn't sound like someone who would want to see you give up.** With the lights now shutting themselves off inside the panicked survivor's rooms, they confront Jenner in the hallway, who explains that the building is shutting itself down to preserve power. Rick, Shane, **Morgan**, and Glenn have no returned from the basement and Jenner tells them that the system is designed to keep the computers running until the last possible second.

"It was the French," Jenner says. They stuck it out the longest before they too ran out of power. Rick yells at the group to grab their things and run as the emergency alarm starts blaring, but Jenner locks them inside the control center. "There is no point in struggling," Jenner explains. "Everything topside is automatically locked down. When that door closes, it wouldn't open again – you heard me say that."

**Shane, Merle and Daryl move over to the door and start trying to pry it open. Daryl starts swinging an axe against it with very little luck. **Rick talks down Shane as he points an automatic in Jenner's defeated, unaffected face. "If you kill him, we'll never get out of here," Rick reasons. Jenner explains who Test Subject 19 really was – how she was one of the finest scientists in the world who may have been able to do something about this.

Rick tells Jenner that they just want their chance to keep going as long as they can. Swayed, Jenner agrees to open the door. **Jenner provides Rick his plastic access card that should unlock the doors in the lobby – though he makes no promises.** The group rushes, panicked, to the open door.

"I'm grateful," Rick says, but Jenner counters, "The day will come when you won't be." He shakes Rick's hand and pulls him close, whispering something into Rick's ear. **"Come with us," Rick encourages – Jenner is reluctant.** "We've got four minutes left – come on!" Glenn shouts, holding on to Carl.

The group heads for the exit, but Jacqui stops. "I'm not ending up like Jim and T-Dog," she tells the others, tearfully telling them to leave while they can. Dale shakes his head, "Jacqui, no!" Jacqui has already made up her mind long ago, she's given up and is choosing her way to leave this world.

**Shane pulls at Andrea to leave, who in turn is yelling at Amy to hurry. Amy is standing her ground, staring at Jenner, "This isn't what Candace would want." Jenner tries to ignore her. "You must've learned something from all your tests," Amy yells. "What if someone out there is working on a cure and you have what they need to succeed?" Jenner looks up at her. "Candace made her final moments count and you're giving up when there's still a chance!" Amy pleads.**

**Andrea pulls at Amy again, who starts to turn. As they approach the door, Jenner comes up behind them encouraging them to hurry. He turns back to Jacqui, who smiles and nods, resigning herself to her fate. They join the others in the CDC lobby as Rick swipes the access card at a control panel – it opens and the group exits the building.**

The CDC erupts in a fiery explosion.

Shaken, the group enters their vehicles and start to drive away from the smoldering rubble – thick black smoke rising up behind them


	7. S2Ep1 - What Lies Ahead

**The Roaming Dead**

**2x01 – "What Lies Ahead"**

**SYNOPSIS - **After narrowly escaping from the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, Rick Grimes and the rest of the group decide to leave the metropolis for good. Atlanta is firmly in the hands of the walkers, and they decide to give Shane's idea of finding refuge at the army base at Fort Benning a try.

**Merle rides alone on his motorcycle – ahead of the convoy. Behind him, Daryl Dixon drives a black SUV that they had acquired before leaving Atlanta – with him are Dr. Edwin Jenner, Carol, and Sophia. Rick is driving the light-yellow Jeep Cherokee, with Morgan, Duane, and Carl inside.**

Dale Horath drives the RV, while Glen studies a road map. Andrea **and Amy** watch curiously as Shane takes apart his gun to clean it with ease. As he begins to show the girls how to clean the gun, Andrea explains that it was a gift from their father before the two took off on their road trip, so that they could protect themselves. "Smart man," Shane muses as he admires the gun. Dale curses from the front seat. The convoy has come upon a traffic snarl, with hundreds of derelict vehicles, abandoned or littered with corpses, impeding their route.

**(The Roaming Dead – Title Credits)**

**Merle, on his motorcycle** leads the group through a snaked out path that was liked carved through by other survivors. Glenn nervously points out a highway overpass a few miles back, but Dale dismisses it. "We can't spare the fuel," he tells him. The group nervously crawls through the wreckage, with no way to know what sort of dangers lurk within. The situation worsens when the RV's radiator hose breaks down again, forcing them to stop altogether – their cars trapped within the snarl.

"If you can't find a radiator hose here…" Shane points out, and the group surveys the potential supplies they could gather from the abandoned cars along the highway. "There's a whole bunch of a stuff we could find," Darryl announces **as Merle slaps his hand on the back of his brother's shoulder and tells the group to go shopping. **"Gather what you can, y'all," Shane tells the group.

Dale enlists Glenn with fixing the radiator hose. "Sometimes the points get corroded," he says, handing him the proper screwdriver. "Radiator hose clamp is always a flat-head," he tells him. Rick takes watch with a riddle behind the RV, while **Morgan and Duane** climb to the top of the RV to take watch. **Amy** looks half-interested into a few cars before she heads back inside the RV to try to put together the gun that was left on the table.

**Andrea**, Carol, Carl and Sophia look through cars further up, with Carol holding some clean clothes up to her chest and smiling at **Andrea**, "Ed never let me wear nice things like this." Darryl and **Jenner **work together to siphon fuel. Shane finds a delivery van with several canisters of fresh water still inside – an excited Glenn hollers joyfully. **Merle is further down the road rummaging through a bunch of vehicles.**

**Morgan **and Rick catch a sight of a walker heading towards them through the traffic snarl at the same time. Rick raises his gun to shoot, but his focus shifts to a second walker coming up behind the first. By the time he has both square in his sights, there's a third – but he quickly realizes that there are a lot more than that. **Morgan whistles out to the rest of the group to alert them and motions for Duane to get low. **Rick runs forward and in a forced whisper tells **Andrea**, Carl, Carol and Sophia to get under the cars. **Andrea grabs Carl and they take cover together, while Carol retains a tight grip onto Sophia.**

Shane spots the horde and grabs Glenn, throwing them both beneath a nearby truck. **Merle quickly throws a bunch of gear from the trunk of the blue vehicle he is ransacking and jumps inside – closing the trunk on top of him. Amy is alone in the RV and proud of herself that she's put the gun back together, but she becomes alerted to the movement outside of the RV.** Stunned by the sheer number of walkers outside the window, she cowers on the floor.

**Darryl and Jenner don't have any good nearby locations to hide. Darryl quickly steps towards Jenner, "Trust me!" **Darryl emerges from behind a car and begins grabbing corpses from the abandoned cars and covering himself **and Jenner** – hopefully dousing their smell from the approaching horde of undead. Dale **doesn't believe that he will fit under any of the nearby vehicles and makes a move to climb the ladder to the top of the RV – this movement catches the attention of the mass collection of walkers as they move through the wreckage.**

**The horde begins to surround the RV and reach aimlessly along the side of the vehicle towards the last sighting to Dale. Morgan fires him a knowing glance that Dale's misstep has caused unwanted attention. The RV begins to rock back and forth as more of the walkers crowd the area and concentrate their efforts on whatever lies on the roof of the vehicle. Duane cries as Morgan holds him close, whispering in his ear that everything's going to be okay.**

Underneath a car further up the road, Rick is calmly keeping Carl, Sophia, Carol **and Andrea** in his sights as the herd passes. **Rick watches as the horde circles the RV, but there is little that he can do for the others right now. Andrea is trying to get Carol's attention – asking where Amy is. Rick calls out intensely and motions for her to be quiet.**

**As the RV continues to rock slightly back and forth, Amy scrambles into the bathroom to hide. Due to the mass collection of walkers surrounding the RV, its door eventually gives way and three walkers move aimlessly inside. The walkers move throughout the RV – seemingly in search for something living, the scent within the vehicle being curiously stronger than what they are normally used to. Amy is doing her best to keep her composure.**

**The three walkers reach the end of the RV – smelling the air and looking around intently. The bathroom door gives away slightly due to the walkers bumping in to each other, causing the walkers to become extremely interested on what is on the other side. Amy presses her feet to the door in desperations as the walkers press in on the bathroom door violently.**

**Amy screams – **Dale looks through the screened sunroof. She glares at him wondering what to do. **As the bathroom door gives away, Amy nervously points the gun towards the first walker's head and fires. The second and third walker continue to press inward as the first walker falls limp on top of Amy. She screams as she empties the clip into the two remaining walkers – before long all that she can hear is the clicking sound of an empty gun as she pulls the trigger.**

**The weapon's fire from inside the RV has livened the horde even more – two more walkers enter the RV, but see nothing of interest beyond three freshly killed walkers near the far end of the RV. Amy lays motionless on the floor of the bathroom – she has a blank look on her face. She falls into a state of shock as her body remains covered in walker blood.**

The group is almost safe when a few stragglers find Sophia hiding underneath the car. **Carol pulls Sophia in tightly to her as the child's first instinct is to run. The walker continues to reach underneath the vehicle, forcing Carol and Sophia to inch further away and eventually exposing themselves on the other side of the vehicle.** **A second walker takes notice and begins to move towards them. Carol and Sophia both begin to panic. **Sophia crawls underneath the highway guardrail and begins to slide down the embankment. **Carol calls out in a loud whisper for Sophia to stay with her – the walkers now seemingly more interested in Carol who is moving around the abandoned vehicles away from the direction of the RV. A third walker appears and begins moving towards Sophia.**

As Sophia flees down a ditch to the nearby woods, Rick follows her. **Carol is still doing her best to avoid the two walkers by navigating in and around the abandoned vehicles. She is panicking – the walkers are gaining on her and she notices that she is about to run out of nearby vehicles to hide behind. As a walker gets close and lunges, Carol screams – the walker's hand gripping firmly to her shirt. She pushes the walker away before it has the opportunity to grab her with the other hand.**

**Carol backs up quickly and stumbles on a piece of camping gear – she screams again as she tries to back herself away from the walker, eventually coming to rest against the rear bumper a blue car. As the two walkers move in for the kill, the trunk of the blue car pops open to reveal Merle – from his laid down position, he shoves a tire iron into the open mouth of the closest walker and forces it to the ground on the left hand side of the vehicle. The second walker now moves towards Merle, who initially kicks the walker back with his foot and as he exits the trunk fully, shoves a knife into the skull of the walker. Carol begins to thank Merle, who ignores her and walks to the side of the blue car to fully dispatch the walker who still has a tire iron lodged in its mouth. Merle shoves the knife into the walker's eye socket.**

Chased by the **one** walker, Sophia stumbles, but Rick gets to her before the dead. "Shoot **it**!" Sophia cries, grabbing for Rick's gun. But he won't risk shooting and drawing even more walkers into the woods. Instead, Rick tells Sophia to wait for him under a creek bed while he deals with the walker. "This is how we both survive," Rick tells her. The **lone** **walker emerges from the woods and falls into the water. **Rick draws it further away from Sophia until finding a suitable rock to slam into the walker's face. Rick then, with force, smashes the rock down crushing its skull.

**Rick takes a deep breath and moves back towards the creek. He comes up to the spot where he had left Sophia and she is gone. Rick looks around, but there's nothing nearby to indicate where she has gone. He calls out her name – no response. "Damnit," Rick curses under his breath as he reluctantly heads back to the highway conceding that she must have headed back to join up with the group.**

**On top of the RV, Morgan and Duane hold each other tight as Dale remains cautiously quiet. A good portion of the walkers have moved on after not being able to identify anything of interest, however a handful still remain. Dale believes that at least one remains inside the RV, but it's too difficult to tell how many walkers are standing alongside the RV out of their sight. It's too risky for one of them to peer over the side and inadvertently alert the walkers of their presence.**

**In the distance, Shane and Glenn appear – crouching alongside the vehicles to remain hidden. Morgan sees this and motions with his hands open that they aren't sure what is going on. Shane glances on either side of the RV and can only make out four walkers – he signals this back to Morgan. Three are on the driver's side portion, while only one remains on the passenger side. Shane motions for Morgan to remain where he is.**

**Navigating around the vehicles and closer to the RV, Shane strategically comes up behind the lone walker on the passenger side of the RV and shoves his knife into the top of the walker's skull. Shane carries the weight of the walker to the ground to minimize the noise. Shane then moves quietly into the opened door of the RV and peers down the narrow hallway – all he can see are three walker corpses at the end. Shane then steps back outside and locates Glenn, who now signals that only two walkers are visible from the driver's side of the vehicle.**

**Daryl now emerges with Jenner and the two meet up with Glenn. Daryl and Shane are able to signal to each other and quickly deal with the two remaining walkers hovering around the RV. The fourth and final walker is nowhere to be seen. As Dale, Morgan, and Duane come down from the top of the RV, the herd of walkers can be seen in the distance continuing their sombre march down the highway. Dale quickly moves into the RV to check on Amy.**

**Rick emerges from the woods alone and begins the climb up the ditch and towards the highway. He breathes a sigh of relief when he takes notice of Carol embracing Sophia – Merle standing near them and placing his knife back into his holder. Rick quickly looks around and finds Carl standing near Shane. Everything seems to be in order and everyone is accounted for – Jenner is seeing taking care of a rattled Amy with Dale and Andrea standing close by, while Glenn and Daryl are seen removing walkers from the inside portion of the RV. Morgan and Duane have taking their post back on top of the RV.**

**"Everything okay?" Rick asks as he moves closer to the group nearest to the RV. Shane steps forward, "She's fine - just had a little run in with a few walkers inside the RV, that's all." Rick places his arm around Carl as his son gives him a quick waist-high hug. Rick steps back and suggests to the group that they make camp where they are at for the night – there are still a lot of useful supplies around here and they know that the herd of walkers are moving in the opposite direction. The group agrees as Rick confirms with Morgan that he's still okay with taking watch on top of the RV.**

Carl finds a collection of knives on the lap of a rotting corpse in a pick-up truck, and he excitedly shows them to Shane, who **kneels down to take a look. "Nice work, little man," Shane tells him before suggesting that he go show his father his big score. Carl smiles and before taking off tells Shane that he hopes his father will let him keep the hatchet.**

**Dale and Glenn continue to work on the RV – they've managed to get it started and everything seems to be in working order. The group is working fairly well together as they scavenge the remaining vehicles and load themselves up with some useful supplies. Merle is seen in the distance sitting on the hood of a car near the last of the abandoned vehicles.**

**Daryl moves up closer and can immediately tell that Merle is smoking a joint. Merle offers a puff, but Daryl declines. "Last one, brotha," he tells him before Daryl declines once again. "Your loss," Merle fires back before taking a nice long drag.**

**"I heard you saved Carol today," Daryl tells him. "She's really appreciative, ya know." Merle shrugs the compliment off. He begins to fire back a derogatory comment about the group but Daryl interjects, "I'm just sayin' that they appreciate what you did man. That's it." Merle tells his brother that they would be better off without the group, "They're gonna get us killed. I know it."**

**The next morning the group is preparing to take off. All the supplies have been loaded up into the vehicles and Shane has even managed in getting another vehicle in working order for the group to use. The plan is continue onward toward Fort Benning and with the arsenal of supplies and a decent amount of gas there shouldn't be a need to stop again anytime soon.**

**As the last of the group eats what's left of their breakfast, a gunshot rings out in the distance. It's difficult to pinpoint exactly where it's coming from, but Shane and Daryl are both fairly confident that the shot came in the direction of the nearby woods.**

**There is some back and forth conversation on whether they should investigate. Morgan is the first to suggest it could be another survivor who is in trouble. Daryl is quick to point out that it could also be someone who has just taken their own life before being eaten. As Merle stares at Rick and Shane, he can tell that Rick has already made his decision, "It looks like Officer Friendly and Deputy Do-Right want to save the world."**

**Rick has decided that they are going to give it an honest effort in finding the source of the gunshot. He feels he couldn't just "leave it be" and wonder if someone is in trouble. He glances at Glenn and paraphrases something Glenn had told him when they had first met, "I'm just trying to pay it forward. If I'm ever that far up shit-creek, I'd want someone to help me out."**

**Rick tells Shane that he wants him to stay behind to look after the group. He knows that this is likely a waste of time, but wants someone he can trust back at camp. Morgan is going to remain behind as well. Even though Daryl doesn't support the search, he offers to go with Rick as he's a fairly decent tracker should they find a trail. Merle has decided to stick with his brother and tag along. Andrea and Jenner are going to remain with the RV to look after Amy. Glenn grabs his backpack, slings it over his shoulder indicating that he will go with Rick.**

**Carl wants to go, but as Rick ponders the question, Dale interjects suggesting that Carl has all of you too look after him and will likely be just as safe with Rick as he would be with them. Rick nods and tells Carl that's going to have to remain in sight at all times, "Stay close."**

**As Rick and his group (Daryl, Merle, Glenn, and Carl) move into the woods they eventually stumble across a tent. Daryl discovers that someone 'opted out' and reveals a small pistol. Merle immediately suggests that the gun was likely the sound that they heard. Rick dismisses that notion, "It was too loud. That shot came from a rifle." Daryl agrees and informs the group that the 'person' inside the tent isn't exactly fresh anyhow.**

**Their search continues. The sound of church bells now row ring out throughout the woods. They run towards the noise and find a small Baptist church. They head inside – Rick, Merle, and Daryl killing the walkers they find inside. The church bell sound rings out again. Glenn finds the automated bell toll around the side of building and unhooks it in frustration.**

**Merle suggests that this is all a futile effort. Rick is reluctant to simply give up, but even Glenn is now showing hesitation. "I want to help," Glenn announces, "But we don't even know which way to go." With daylight fading fast, Rick reluctantly agrees to turn back and reunite with the rest of the group figuring he will never know the source of the gunshot.**

**Elsewhere, a larger man named Otis passes by a fence that leads to small farm. In his hands he carries a rifle, while the backpack he is carrying is partially open to reveal chunks of fresh meat that belong to a recently killed deer.**


	8. S2Ep2 - Horizon

**The Roaming Dead**

**2x02 – "Horizon"**

**SYNOPSIS:**

**The quiet confines of a small diner is interrupted as the front door bursts open – the traditional chiming sound from the door opening is immediately overtaken by the chaos of Morgan and Jenner helping an injured Glenn through the main door. Glenn has been injured – he appears to be in a semi-delirious state as blood runs down the length of his right arm. Shane follows them from behind. "Go," he shouts, the panic clearly noticeable in his voice. Behind him, there are at least ten walkers moving purposefully to their location.**

**The group moves through the diner and behind the main counter, eventually passing through the swinging kitchen doors. "I need to stop the bleeding," Jenner announces. Morgan looks quickly around the kitchen portion of the diner and spots another door, "Over here!" The four move inside and quickly realize that this area is simply a pantry and offers them no real option for escape. Shane attempts to open the door again to find another location for them to go, but it's too late – the walkers are already on top of them, forcing Shane to close the door again.**

**With his back pressed firmly against a wooden door, Shane is doing his best to keep the attacking walkers from getting into the small storage room of a non-descript building. Only a few feet away, Jenner is tending to wound on Glenn's arm – it looks as though Glenn has already lost a lot of blood. Morgan pulls a small hatchet from his backpack and moves towards Shane with a purpose – swinging it towards the arm of a walker who has managed to partially get itself through the opening in the door. It takes two swings before the arm falls limp onto the floor – Shane is now able to close the door fully.**

**The only light inside the room is offered by two fleeting sources – the dimming flashlight in Jenner's possession to help him deal with Glenn's injury and the very small rectangular window with bars across it on the side wall. The banging on the door is persistent. Shane is reluctant to use his gun – he knows that they managed to shake a few of the walkers during their run, but a single gunshot could bring them all back upon them.**  
**As the door jolts forward, Shane forces its back with all his strength. **

**(The Roaming Dead – Title Credits)**

**The group has decided to push onward to Fort Benning. It is mid-morning when the group has finally navigated the last of the abandoned vehicles on the highway. Merle continues to lead by riding his motorcycle significantly ahead of the group. Inside the RV, Glen and Morgan are studying the road map in search of areas that may be useful for them to gather supplies – areas that shouldn't be densely populated with walkers. A nearby town may offer enough supplies to get them all the way to Fort Benning. Beyond having to stop for fuel, the thought of having enough food to limit the stops is too good of an option to pass up.**

**Morgan gives his suggestion to Rick – who is up in the passenger seat with Dale. He agrees and tells Dale to pull off at the next safe spot – giving the RV's horn two quick hits to alert the others that they will be pulling over. They take the next highway exit to begin heading towards the town, eventually stopping at a nearby carpool lot where the outskirts of the town can be seen resting on the horizon. There is some discontent – mainly from Merle - about having to stop once again, but Shane is quick to come to Rick's defence by explaining that no one is forcing 'him' to stop.**

**Rick explains that this time, the group is going to play it smart – they have safely positioned themselves away from the town with an excellent vantage point in each direction. Shane offers to lead a small group into the town to assess how many walkers may exist. Glenn and Morgan are quick to offer assistance as it was originally their idea to stop in the first place. Surprisingly, Jenner also offers to tag along stating, "I doubt a town this size would have a hospital, but even a clinic or a pharmacy may offer us a handful of useful medicines."**

**As Shane and his group travel on foot towards the town, Morgan keeps a watchful eye on the area through a small set of binoculars. "All clear," Morgan reassures. The first useful building the group comes across is a small shop called "Electronics R' Us" – the building itself is fairly well intact and seemingly absent of anything disconcerting. Glenn peers through the windows and gives the group a quick look back indicating it looks clear. **

**Once safely inside, they begin to look around while Shane stands guard. Jenner discovers a few packaged sets of batteries beneath the counter. The rest of the store is fairly picked over – likely a combination of others looking for supplies and people looting the store for the valuable electronics. Morgan emerges from the rear portion of the building with a small screwdriver set – the kind that would solely be used on computers and the like – and a handheld radio. Morgan's pretty happy with the find as he turns it around to show the others the small wind-up handle it has to power the unit.**

**Shane gives the group a nod, "Let's keep moving. There looks to be a hardware store further down the way."**

**Back at camp, Dale stands on top of the RV maintaining a watchful eye on their surroundings. Andrea is still tending to Amy, who has been fairly distant after her recent brush with death. Carol is watching over Sophia, Carl, and Duane – with Rick also standing nearby to keep a close eye on the children. The downtime is boring Merle, who has been pacing back and forth along the carpool lot. Daryl is also off by himself, walking along the edge of the nearby woods but still in view of the camp.**

**Climbing the ladder to join Dale, Rick wonders aloud if Merle has always been this volatile. "Daryl is manageable," Dale explains. "I see a lot of good in him, but his brother – he's a different story." Rick asks further what Dale means, but Dale doesn't offer much, "This world – it now belongs to people like Merle."**

**Merle walks back towards his motorcycle and grabs his backpack. Rick takes notice of this and gets off the top of the RV. Merle immediately turns and starts walking towards the town. Before Rick can say anything, Daryl crosses Rick's path and reassures that he will look after his brother and keep him out of trouble. Rick reluctantly decides to leave this battle alone and gives Daryl a nod, "You be careful." **

**Glenn steps out from "Shrugg's Hardware" and simultaneously pushes something further into his backpack. Shane is seen exiting the adjacent building – a local drinking establishment. He's grinning ear to ear as he waves a small pistol in one hand and a seemingly very old bottle of scotch in the other. Jenner comes up from behind Glenn and notices Shane's score. "That'll be a great aesthetic," Jenner joking announces in reference to the scotch. Morgan also exits the hardware store with a few minor items – he glances around the small town, "There would be a lot of useful stuff here if we were planning on staying in one spot." Shane snickers at the thought, "Fortify the town? We could open up a B&B."**

**Staring at a small colorful map he had found inside the hardware store, Jenner points to a series of buildings further down the road, "There should be a Doctor's Office down this way." The map is far from being to scale and reminiscent to something that would be handed out to tourists – but it's beyond anyone in the group what would draw people to this small town.**

**Morgan spots a lone walker roaming in the middle of the street wondering aimlessly. He moves over and quickly deals with the minor threat as it had taken notice of their presence and began shuffling their way.**

**The Doctor's Office appears to be one of the newer buildings in the entire town – it's more likely that it had recently been renovated. The exterior had a modern feel to it, which actually seemed out of place when compared to the rest of the town. Shane pulls on the glass door, but it's locked.**

**The group decides to enter the building through one of the side windows. Shane breaks the glass and waits a moment to see if there is any reaction to his action from inside the building – nothing. Lifting himself up and through the window, Shane enters one of the examination rooms. He quickly inspects the area – no threats – then motions for the others to join him.**

**Jenner begins raiding the nearby counter for medications – various types. It's obvious that most of it has already been picked over, but there are still some useful items that will aid the group. Morgan stands nearby keeping an eye on Jenner while also looking through a small storage closet. Shane and Glenn have located a small break room – their search has yielded a few cans of coffee grinds and box of healthy snack bars.**

**Opening the door to the second examination room reveals a startling site – the room is covered in blood and reeks of decomposition. There is evidence of someone having been torn apart and consumed. Glenn closes this door as his other hand covers his nose from the stench. Glenn's holding back the urge to vomit.**

**Along the wall in the hallway, Morgan stops to take notice of various pictures – likely people who had once come to this office at one time or another. A majority of the pictures are of children – various ages – and pictures of a doctor holding newborn babies that he had likely delivered. For a moment, Morgan is taken aback when he comes across a photo of him and his wife – she's holding a small child in her arms. He is stunned and cannot fathom how any of this is possible. **

**Jenner walks past Morgan and asks for his help with something – he can tell Morgan is a little off, "Everything okay?" Morgan pauses and shakes his head that everything is fine – when he looks back down at the photo in his hands it now shows a completely different family in the photo, "Yeah – it's – yeah, I'm good." He moves off to help Jenner move some of the supplies back towards the window.**

**Inside a room labeled "Procedure", Glenn observes four black body bags lying on the floor. Normally this wouldn't cause him too much alarm, except three of the bags begin to stir – walkers obviously inside attempting to lift themselves up but failing miserably. After the initial sense of fear subsides, Glenn actually sees a certain level of humour in the precarious situation.**

**Shane opens the door to another room – apparently the waiting room for the building. Before he can react, a walker from inside this room lunges forward and forces the door fully open while simultaneously reaching for Shane. Instinctively Shane pulls the trigger on his gun and blows the walker away – he feels overcome with regret at the action as the remaining five walkers from within the room stir and begin piling out of the room.**

**"Time to go!" Shane yells – the group already well alerted to the problem after the gunshot had run out from within the building. Morgan and Jenner are already making their way to the examination room to escape from the building. Glenn steps out of the "Procedure Room" ahead of Shane – he grabs his backpack and moves quickly down the hallway as Shane fires two more shots and the approaching walkers.**

**Morgan and Jenner quickly exit through the window. Glenn is next – throwing the backpacks from the building through the window. As he begins to climb through, the walkers- at least five more – begin piling into the room. Shane fires two more shots and then pushes Glenn through the window oblivious to the fact that Glenn has now sliced his arm a portion of the broken glass. Shane fires three more shots and climbs through the window to join the others.**

**The commotion from within the Doctor's Office has stirred the nearby walkers – they begin to focus their attention upon the activity from just outside the building. Shane and his group gather their backpacks and begin making their way down the street back towards Rick and the main camp.**

**It becomes fairly evident that the walkers are gaining on the group and the decision is made to take refuge in a nearby diner. Glenn is fading fast, stumbling as he runs and dropping his backpack – this forces Morgan and Jenner to grab a hold of him and help him move.**

**The small group enters the diner. In the distance, Daryl takes notice of the commotion and moves to help – the walkers are intently focused on those inside the diner. As he takes a step forward with his crossbow in hand, Merle stops him, "Man, I'm not wasting my bullets on those fools. They got 'emselves into that mess, let them get outta it."**  
**Daryl stops – he's clearly torn. "You're lettin' them get to you," Merle tells him. "You and I – we aren't like those guys. We're better off on our own. Let them do their own thing." Daryl starts moving back towards the small diner. Merle steps forward and yells, "They don't include us in shit, brotha. It's Shane and Rick – this is their show. Then they got that other nigger starting to run things now. Even that Asian boy has more say then us."**

**Daryl turns and confronts Merle, "So, I'm just supposed to walk away – let them die." "Would they help us if it was you and me in there?" Merle fires back. "They will be fine in there – they're resourceful," Merle adds. Daryl truly doesn't know what to do. Merle keeps pushing for them to break off from the group and do their own thing, "Hell – we were going to rob these fools blind back in Atlanta. What's changed? Why are you suddenly trying to prove yourself to Rick? I'm your brother!"**

**The moment is interrupted by the sound of two sets of galloping sounds – two people emerge from the town's intersection and move closer towards the small diner. One of them is a younger 20-something female (Maggie) and a similarly aged male (Jimmy). Out of the two of them, Jimmy seems the most reluctant to try and help, but Maggie is adamant that they must do what they can. Daryl runs forward – Maggie and Jimmy are startled for a moment. "It's my friends in there," he tells them. Merle comes up from behind and eyes the nervous Jimmy, "Stay outta my way, boy."**

**As Daryl enters the diner, he quickly deals with two walkers – direct shots to the head with his crossbow. Merle comes in to his right and fires his pistol and takes down a third walker. The immediate area is clear, but there is obvious commotion occurring from the rear of the diner. Daryl retrieves the two arrows and reloads his crossbow.**

**Moving into the kitchen area, Daryl and Merle take notice of four walkers intently trying to gain entry into the small room where Shane and his group are hiding out. Merle gives a quick whistle and two of the walkers turn to the sound. Daryl fires his arrow and takes the first one down, while Merle fires his pistol at the other two walkers. Daryl moves in with his knife and from behind delivers a killing blow to its skull.**

**The diner falls to silence. Daryl reaches over and begins opening the door – somewhat cautious as to what he will find inside. As the door opens, Shane scrambles to his feet, "Glenn's hurt, we need to get him back to camp."**

**As Daryl helps Morgan move Glenn outside of the diner, Maggie explains that her father can help. Jenner has managed to bandage the wound, but he wants to closer examine the wound in case he's still bleeds out. Maggie tells Jimmy to go with the others back to their camp and take them to the farm – Shane will take Jimmy's horse, along with Glenn, back with her. Jenner will travel with Maggie.**

**The two groups depart as the sun begins to set.**


	9. S2Ep3 - Reprieve

**The Roaming Dead**  
**2x03 – "Reprieve"**

**SYNOPSIS:**

**On the streets of a non-descript suburb in Atlanta, there is the usual mid-day commotion – vehicles passing by, people hastily walking along the sidewalk, and random noises filling the air. A 20-something Korean-American male (Glenn) is driving a rusty red sedan – it comes to stop in front of a fairly standard looking apartment building.**

**Glenn exits the vehicle – tugging slightly on the beak of his ballcap. He closes the driver's door and moves quickly around the front of the vehicle. He opens the passenger door and pulls out two large pizza boxes. Kicking the door closed, he makes his way through the first set of apartment doors and hits the buzzer for a residence on the fifth floor.**

**Glenn hits the buzzer again – no answer. He checks his watch and hits the buzzer again. He steps to the side as a tenant of the apartment also arrives to enter through the lock door. The male tenant is sweating profusely and coughs twice. Glenn keeps his distance, but catches the door before it closes and enters the apartment complex.**

**The tenant walks towards the elevator and stumbles – quickly moving to a nearby bench in the apartment lobby. Glenn stops, "You alright, man?" The tenant waves Glenn off. Looking over his shoulder, Glenn hits the button for the elevator and walks on.**

**Inside the elevator, Glenn quickly checks his cell phone – the faint sound of elevator music plays overhead. As the elevator door slides open, Glenn nonchalantly strolls off and turns to his left. He walks to nearly the end of the hallway, stopping at Apartment 406.**

**Glenn knocks on the door – no answer. He gives another knock at the door – "Michael's Pizza!"**

**"Seriously?" Glenn says in a deflated voice. He's about to give another knock at the door when he hears some sort of commotion outside on the streets. Looking out the window, Glenn takes notice of a motor vehicle collision on the street and a small crowd of onlookers stopping to watch – a few even move over to help the motorist.**

**Glenn's attention to the street is interrupted by a thump at the apartment door. He moves back to Apartment 406 with the pizzas in hand. Glenn knocks on the door again – it doesn't open, but at least this time he hears another two thumps on the door itself followed by a moan.**

**"Mr. Cameron?" Glenn inquires. He's about to knock on the door again, but something doesn't feel right. The thumping on the door at Apartment 406 continues – Glenn swears to himself that it seems to be becoming louder and more aggressive.**

**A scream is heard from the streets. Glenn again moves to the end of the hallway and peers out the window. From his view, he sees a male attacking another male only a few feet from the collision. After only a moment, the attacker limps off towards a nearby female.**

**Glenn hears a thump at the door again – followed by a louder groan. He sets the pizza boxes on the floor next to Apartment 406 and says something about them being on the house. Glenn hits the button for the elevator door – and again after only a second in the hopes that it speeds up the elevators arrival - the banging at the door of Apartment 406 intensifies.**

**As the elevator chimes – signalling its arrival – Glenn's initial feeling of relief is immediately dashed as the elevator doors open to reveal the previously sick male tenant from the lobby chewing on the flesh of a woman dressed in business attire. The male tenant groans as Glenn comes into his view – disregarding the motionless businesswoman and staggering to his feet to pursue Glenn.**

**"I'll take the stairs," Glenn nervously and almost comically announces as he rushes out of view. The nearby stairwell door slamming shut as the deceased face of the male tenant comes into view through the glass window on the door. The male tenant lets out a loud growl as Glenn departs from its view.**

**(The Roaming Dead – Title Credits)**

**Standing near a fence, Rick Grimes peers over the horizon – his gaze crossing several fields as the sun begins to set. Everything appears clear. From behind, Morgan and Shane come to speak with him. Shane lets him know that Glenn will be fine – Herschel managed to stitch the wound. Morgan interjects that they will need to keep an eye on an infection starting.**

**Rick nods – only half-listening. His thoughts are on the future and there is a huge sense of relief after only spending on night at the Greene farm. Rick has that optimistic sense that they could make it work here – assuming Hershel and his family don't mind them sticking around. As he looks around – the RV sitting in the distance and several from his group sitting around a bonfire – Rick expresses this sentiment to Shane and Morgan.**

**"I thought the plan was to head to Fort Benning?" Shane inquires. Rick just smiles and nods, "I'm just thinking out loud." Morgan explains that Dale had been cooking up some oatmeal and potatoes, suggesting that they join the others for supper. The three begin making their way back towards the bonfire.**

**Inside the farmhouse, Maggie is bringing Glenn something to eat – he's sitting up in the bed and smiles when he sees her. She checks his bandage and hands him a bowl of food. "Thanks," Glenn says as she smiles. Maggie turns to leave the room, but Glenn asks her to stay – if she wants.**

**Herschel stands on the porch of the farmhouse watching the group near the RV. Rick approaches him and thanks him for his hospitality and everything that he and his family have done. The two exchange a brief conversation. Rick comments about the land and how peaceful it can be out here. Herschel explains that the farm has been in his family for over 160 years.**

**"If there is anything – anything that we could be doing to earn our keep," Rick begins before Hershel cuts him off with an annoying tone and explains that he's going to call it a night and head to bed. Rick watches Hershel as he enters the farmhouse.**

**The next morning, Rick is planning a supply run into the town. Maggie has provided the group with a map of the surrounding area – giving them a general lay of the land. She lets the others know what stores in town have been cleared out of supplies. Dale suggests that they could always start looking at other abandoned houses to make their stay here more comfortable. **

**They decide to break into two groups. Maggie initially offers to go with Rick, but that idea is shut down by Hershel who is passing by the others and catches wind of her intention on joining them. Otis offers to take her place – he knows of a handful of other farms and houses that may be worthwhile checking out, as per Dale's suggestion.**

**Otis offers to drive his blue 1966 Ford F-100 truck – Rick and Morgan join him. Before they depart, both Carl and Duane hug their fathers. Carol and Amy offer to look after them today. Rick and Shane exchange knowing glances – "Be careful," Rick tells Shane. Whether that applies to dealing with the walkers or with the Dixon brothers, is anyone's guess.**

**Shane, Daryl and Merle decide to hit the nearby town. Merle decides to take his motorcycle, while Shane and Daryl take the groups newly acquired Hyundai Tuscon vehicle.**

**The two groups depart – initially travelling on the same roadway, but eventually take separate directions. The remainder of the Atlanta group, along with Herschel and Maggie watch as the vehicles move out of sight.**

**Otis' blue Ford F-100 sits in the middle of a dirt driveway on an abandoned farm. The rear cab has already been loaded up with a few random supplies – empty plastic containers, pitch forks, and axe. Rick finishes placing a handheld toolbox in the rear of the truck, just as Morgan and Otis exit a smaller barn.**

**Rick and Morgan move towards the farmhouse – Otis remains behind them on the porch. The front door is already ajar – Rick does the customary shout out to any of the occupants. He listens – no response or even sounds of movement from within.**

**"This is John and Mary Porter's place," Otis announces. "Good people," he adds. "Hopefully they made it to a safe place," Rick adds as he moves through the living room and towards the kitchen. Otis is instinctively about to offer a response, but catches himself. Morgan begins to move up the stairs.**

**A few streets into the small town, Merle stops his motorcycle – in the distance, the odd shambling walker can be seen. Shane and Daryl stop their car a few feet back from Merle – both get out and scan the area. Shane begins to make a suggestion on where they should check first, but Merle is already making his way to a store called Patton's Bar. Daryl looks at Shane and the two reluctantly follow.**

**As Shane and Daryl enter the bar, Merle has already gone in behind the counter and appears to be rustling around for something – he smiles as he places a dusty bottle of scotch on the table. He immediately grabs three glasses and looks at Shane, "I know I'll need at least two – but the third?"**

**Shane gives a nod, "One drink – then we start finding what's useful around here." Merle smirks as he fills the three glasses up with scotch, "That's right – Rick gave us orders to go get supplies. Better do what he says."**

**Before taking a drink, Merle reaches over and taps both Shane and Daryl's glasses. "To Rick!" he announces and takes a big gulp of the scotch.**


	10. S2Ep4 - Deathbed

**The Roaming Dead**

**2x04 – "Deathbed"**

Glenn gets up, holding his arm, he heads over to the grandfather clock. There is a dark brown desk right next to it, Glenn brushes the dust off the picture he sees of Maggie and a man about Glenn's age. He picks it up and looks at it. Maggie opens the door and spots Glenn looking at the picture. Glenn quickly drops the photo back on the desk and looks to Maggie. Glenn clears his throat, nervously.

"That's my step-brother, Shawn. He died a little while ago." Maggie said, looking down to the floor.

"I'm sorry, Maggie. I just hate sitting around doing nothing, you know?" Glenn was clenching onto his arm, because of it being so sore.

"You need to rest." Maggie told him as she walked over to Glenn and helped him walk back to the bed.

"Alright, fine. If you say so." Glenn doesn't hesitate. He lay back down.

"Good." Maggie smiles and walks out the door. Glenn rolls over to his side, sighing.

**( The Roaming Dead – Title Credits )**

Jenner sits on the porch of the farm, his eyes squinting and turns around as the door opens. Amy sits down next to him, and looks at him, her eyes also squinting due to the bright sun.

"What are you thinking about?" Amy asks. Jenner continues to stare off into the sun.

"If I had stayed back in the CDC." Jenner finally puts his attention to her. "Thank you. For not giving up on me." He adds.

Amy smiles.

"You have to find strength to carry on. This is only one of the fifty states of America. There could be another CDC brewing up a cure! But then again, maybe not. But, you have to find the strength to carry on." Amy smiles again and Jenner smiles as well.

"Thank you."

"No problem. I'm gonna go check on Glenn." Amy gets up and walks back inside the house.

Jenner stares off into the sun, smiling.

Hershel looks at the fridge, there is a picture of a middle-aged woman.

"Daddy?" Beth walks into the kitchen.

Hershel turns around to face Beth, "What is it, sweetie?"

"The Asian boy is making noises…" Beth tells her father. Hershel runs upstairs, and opens the door to see Glenn groaning, clenching his wound, and starting to yell.

"Stop it!" Hershel slaps Glenn's hand, and pulls it away.

"Didn't your mother ever tell you not to pick a scab?"

Glenn sighed and just put his head down.

"I feel like I'm on my deathbed!" Glenn whined, and Hershel grabbed some bandages from the desk with all the pictures on it. Amy opened the door and saw Hershel fixing Glenn's wound.

"Are you alright, Glenn?" Amy asked, worried.

"I'm fine, Amy. Don't worry about me." Glenn assured her. He was wondering why Amy was so worried about him. Amy nodded and went out the door. Hershel was wrapping the newly added bandages around his cut wound. He hated laying in a bed all day doing nothing.

"This sucks." Glenn said out loud.

"At least it's not your leg or your arm." Hershel tried to calm things down.

"So, you had two wives?" Glenn asked out of the blue.

"I'd rather not talk about that." Hershel threw his question out the door. Glenn sighed and closed his eyes and dropped his head back on the pillow.

"Sorry."

Morgan walks up the stairs, hoping to find something worth taking when he spots an African-American male, about in his 30's, very bulk, wearing a plain white t-shirt and blue jeans. He is joined by a shorter African-American male, about in his 40's, very bulk as well, wearing a blue and red striped shirt and a plaid sleeveless vest over his shirt.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" Said the taller one, with a really deep voice.

"Get up here, quietly. Don't even yell." The shorter one told him, with a soft but deep voice. He was quiet." The short black male pulled out a Glock and pointed it at Morgan's forehead, "I'm not gonna tell you twice, asshole."

Morgan nodded and raised his hands, he walked forward with the gun being pointed right at the back of his head now.

"Morgan, you find anything?" Rick asks, and Morgan looks behind to the two black men looking at each other.

"Still looking, Rick! You stay down there, I got up here." Morgan said loud enough so Rick could hear him downstairs.

"Into the room right to the left." Said the taller black male, Morgan nodded and walked to that room and went inside.

The shorter black man shut the door and pointed his gun, the taller black male had grabbed a baseball bat that had plenty of blood on it.

"I'm Tyson. What's your name?" The taller black man dropped his baseball bat and leaned in to shake Morgan's hand.

"Morgan. Morgan Jones."

"This here, is my brother Tyrone. Now, we don't wanna hurt ya, but if you try anything stupid, we'll fuck you up, me and my brother." Tyson added. Morgan thought he was bluffing and was hoping any minute now that Otis and Rick would come inside the room.

"Not much of a talker are ya?" Tyrone said.

"Why are you here, brother?" Tyson asked Morgan.

"Looking for supplies. It's an abandoned farm."

"Abandoned farm? Well, everything's abandoned, brother. Doesn't give you the right to come and steal from us." Tyson replied.

"It's called scavenging." Morgan told him.

"You know, I never really liked this farm, but it has to do. Right? Where you guys settled up at?"

"We have a camp." Morgan lied. Tyrone was staring into his eyes like he was about to shoot Morgan in the head any second now. Tyrone knew he was lying, at least Morgan thought he knew.

"Doesn't matter where he is settled up at, because we're gonna let him go." Tyrone said.

"Hey, bro, who said we were holding him up?" Tyson gave a look that said 'Shut up and let me talk to this guy'.

"Well, the fact that you pointed a gun at me and told me to go inside this room." Morgan looked at the two black men.

"Shut your dumbass up." Tyson threw his sass into his face.

"Morgan, where are you?" Rick's voice was heard outside the room.

Rick opened the door and saw Morgan sitting on the bed, Tyrone and Tyson were hiding in the corners.

"Rick, what's up?" Otis asked as he was walking up the stairs.

"What are you doing, man, let's go?" Rick said. Tyrone was mouthing the word 'Go' and Morgan got up and walked out. When Morgan walked out, he closed the door.

"There are two men inside that room. One of them got a gun and the other has a baseball bat. But the guy with the guy told me to go." Morgan whispered.

"What? I didn't see them."

"They were in the corners, Rick." Morgan told him. Rick grabbed his gun and kicked open the door, and pointed his gun at Tyrone as soon as he saw him. Morgan pulled out his gun and pointed it at Tyson.

"What the fuck, man?" Tyrone said as he looked at Morgan.

"Whoa!" Tyson said as he stared at the weapon Rick had.

"I like that. A python. It's better than a revolver."

The door made a creak noise. The door had opened. Tyson laughed and Tyrone sighed.

"Hey, Marcus, Max, Daze and Harry! Get up here boys!" Tyson yelled and laughed hysterically.

"Should've left when y'all got the chance." Tyrone rolled his eyes.

"We gonna have fun tonight." Tyson laughed.

Daryl had found a cigar pack with a lighter right next to it. It was on a desk in the bar they had searched.

"Hand me one, brotha." Merle said as he walked over as reached his hand out. Daryl glared at him and pulled out a cigar and tossed it into his hand. Merle put it in his mouth and told Daryl to light the cigar.

"Do it your damn self." Daryl threw the lighter on the ground.

Merle ran over to Daryl and pulled him down to the ground.

"Don't talk to me like that, little brotha!"

"What are you going do? Throw a walker at me like you did with T-Dog? You fuckin' asshole." Daryl started yelling.

"What the hell is going on out here?" Shane said as he opened the door and started walking towards Merle and Daryl.

"What the hell? You think I'd do something like that? You know me brotha!" Merle argued back.

"I saw you! You grabbed the fucking walker by the neck and tossed it towards T-Dog! I saw it!" Daryl said as he got back up and pushed him.

"There was nothing I could do. But I didn't throw it at him, you fucking idiot! Why do you care about that nigger anyways? Huh? Was he your buddy?" Merle taunted Daryl. Merle underestimated his little brother a lot, but he knew that Daryl wasn't to be messed with, just like his older brother Merle.

"Fuck you, Merle. They shoulda left you on that rooftop. T-Dog would be alive!" Daryl yelled. Shane had heard the truth.

"Is that true, Merle?" Shane asked. Daryl just rolled his eyes and walked off.

"Y'all gonna get me killed anyways, so what the hell do I care? Go on, then." Merle angrily walked off and kicked a bucket that was sitting on the ground.

"Son of a bitch." Shane turned around to Daryl's path. Merle had taken off with his motorcycle.

Shane saw Daryl walking in circles and yelling and throwing his fists around. Shane had never saw Daryl like that before. Shane had caught up to Daryl and said, "C'mon, Daryl, let's head back. Rick and them will be back as well."

Daryl wiped his forehead and nodded, he walked to the Hyundai and got inside. Shane had followed him and got into the driver's seat and drove off.


	11. S2Ep5 - Order

**The Roaming Dead**

**2x05: 'Order'**

**TV-MA LV**

"What the hell happened back there?" Shane asked Daryl as he drove forward. Daryl was looking at the road, he ignored Shane.

"Look, man, I'm trying to understand what happened. That's it, man, okay?" Shane wasn't exactly sure what he heard back at Patton's Bar. But he definitely didn't like the way it sounded.

"Merle killed T-Dog." Daryl said after a few moments of silence.

"Yeah, I kind of heard that, man, but do you know why?" Shane asked politely. He wasn't fond of Merle Dixon and sure as hell didn't wanna be around him the next time the camp gets invaded by walkers.

"Dunno." Daryl said blankly and continued to look at the road.

"We'll be back at the farm soon, if you wanna tell people, go ahead. But, he was dangerous, Daryl. I'm glad you know that now. Couldn't be easy just yelling at your brother away." Shane tried to make Daryl feel better.

"Why you acting all considerate of others? You didn't care about me earlier, and sure as hell don't care about other people besides Rick and your girlfriend." Daryl snapped at him. Shane looked at Daryl.

"Don't use that bullshit, Daryl. I'm not some selfish bastard. I care about everyone except Merle Dixon. So you can shut your goddamn mouth." Shane snapped right back at him. Daryl looked at the road once again and they didn't talk for the rest of the ride. Shane looked through the window and scratched his head.

**( The Roaming Dead – Title Credits )**

**Starring Andrew Lincoln, Jon Bernthal, Lennie James, Steven Yeun, Laurie Holden, Jeffrey Demunn**

**Also Starring… Emma Bell, Adrian Turner, Scott Wilson, Melissa McBride, Lauren Cohan, Emily Kinney, Noah Emmerich and Josh Stewart as Aaron Hood**

"C'mon, man, they didn't do anything. Let's just let 'em go." Tyrone pleaded. Rick, Morgan and Otis were being pushed towards the wall of the abandoned farm.

"Listen to your brother." Otis agreed with Tyrone.

"Shut the fuck up, fatty." Tyson pointed a gun at his face. Otis was shaking, he didn't want to die today. Not without at least saying goodbye to Patricia.

"Hah, look what we got here." Max said as he laughed.

"My guess is, a U.S. Marshall, pharmaceuticals salesman, and a donut-shop worker." Max laughed once again, he was joined by Daze and Harry and one other man.

"Marcus, get me my shotgun." Tyson called out and Marcus rolled his eyes.

"The name is Aaron, douchebag. And go get yourself. I'm not your henchman." Aaron threw his request in Tyson's face.

"Just go get the fucking shotgun, dumbass. Don't make a big fucking deal about it." Harry said with his big mouth.

Aaron ignored them and walked up to Rick, Morgan and Otis. Rick didn't feel like this one wanted to hurt them. He had short black hair, absolutely no facial hair, he was clean shaved, he had really blue eyes, khaki shorts, and a T-shirt that said, 'No Fear.' With black outlined letters and a red background.

"Get me my fucking shotgun, you fucking marsh mellow." Tyson commanded and Aaron looked right at Tyson.

"Calm the fuck down, everyone." Tyrone tried to quiet things down. But that didn't work.

"Shut your fucking mouth, asshole. You go get your own goddamn shotgun, alright? I don't fucking wanna be your fucking slave." Aaron yelled at Tyson while other voices were being yelled over his.

"Why don't we shoot this fucking prick, huh, Tyson?" Harry suggested.

"Then go ahead and shoot me motherfucker!" Aaron raged and spit in Tyson's direction.

"EVERYONE SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Daze yelled, everyone was quiet.

"Go get your own fucking shotgun, Tyson. You aren't in any place to be giving orders."

Tyson sighed and pushed Aaron, and he stepped back a few feet. Aaron kicked Tyson in the back, making him fall down the stairs.

"That's enough!" Daze commanded. Tyson got back up and look at Aaron for a few seconds, then continued walking off, he pushed the door open with all his might. Daze walked towards Rick, Morgan and Otis. The three were tied up by Tyson.

"Y'all are a bunch of sissies." Max coughed and laughed a bit, he had a black biker jacket, with wings on the back. Rick was reminded of Daryl when he saw that jacket from the back. He had chapped pants and cowboy boots. He looked like he would be about in his late 40s or early 50s. He had a deep, gravelly voice.

"What are we gonna do about them, boss?" Harry asked Daze. Daze pulled out a pistol and shot Harry in the head, then Max and then put the gun down.

"Holy shit." Morgan muttered under his breath. Otis gasped. Rick couldn't believe that man, Daze, just murdered two of his own men.

"What the fucking fuck?" Tyson ran back in with his shotgun. Daze pulled out his gun once again and shot Tyson in the chest. He fell back, and Daze walked down the stairs slowly and Tyson had his shotgun in hand.

"No!" Tyrone yelled, and saw that Daze had already shot Tyson in the head.

"What? He was an asshole." Daze had killed three of his men now. Daze walked back up the stairs and patted Tyrone on the back.

"Sorry about your brother." Daze dropped the gun on the ground, and walked over to Rick, Morgan and Otis. Daze had let them go.

"Go on. Go back to whatever it is, you were at. Sorry about those assholes."

"I'm going with them." Aaron said. Daze glared at Aaron, as did Tyrone.

"No the fuck you are not." Daze said with attitude.

"We don't know you." Morgan said to Aaron.

"Get to know me. I'm not living in the woods anymore."

"Fine. Don't come crying to us when their place falls." Daze said.

"Alright, come on." Rick said to Aaron. Otis walked down the stairs and they all grabbed their things and walked out the door, and tried to ignore the three dead bodies that were inside the house.

"What's your name?" Rick asked Aaron and he got inside Otis' truck.

"Aaron Hood. I was a lawyer back before this started, now I'm a survival nut."

"How can we trust you?" Morgan asked.

"You can trust me. Or not." Aaron said.

Rick, Otis, Aaron and Morgan parked the truck and stepped outside.

"They're back." Andrea said to Amy. Glenn was walking outside, with his wound still the same. Carl ran to hug Rick. Shane and Daryl walked outside of the farmhouse. Dale was sitting on a chair on the front porch of the farmhouse. Duane ran to hug Morgan. Carol was standing there, looking for Merle.

"Where's Merle?" Carol asked.

"He left." Daryl said.

Beth and Maggie were standing next to Hershel when he said to Rick, "Who the hell is that?"

Aaron walked out of the truck.

"Not bad. Not bad at all.

**On The Next Episode of AMC's The Roaming Dead…**

"Merle's gone, and he's not coming back." Daryl put his hand on Carol's shoulder.

"There's something in the barn. I don't know what it is." Glenn said to Rick.

"You just let this guy come into the fold out of nowhere?" Shane said to Rick.

"I'm not gonna do anything stupid." Aaron pleaded.

"Help me!" A voice yelled.

"Daddy!" Maggie cried.


	12. S2Ep6 - Liberty

**The Roaming Dead**

**2x06 – Liberty**

**TV-MA LSV**

Aaron Hood wasn't trusted in the group. Hell, nobody ever is when they first join, not these days anyways. Aaron was sitting in a little shack Rick, Shane and Daryl had built since they couldn't use the barn. He was sitting in there, with him locked in. Aaron has been there for three weeks, and he hasn't even been trusted to tie his own shoes. Aaron started to whistle. He figured it was getting close to noon, so he could get his daily meal. What Aaron didn't understand is that; Rick had let him join the farm, but here he is, a prisoner.

"Ayo! Anybody?" Aaron called out. He waited a few seconds, but no response.

"Goddammit." Aaron cursed under his breath, it was hot inside the shack, he was sweating and he was really missing the nice sun resting on his shoulder.

"You mind getting me some water, assholes?" Aaron called out once again. No response. Aaron didn't like this at all. Aaron sighed, and he looked to his right, and saw a loose board.

"Golden opportunity." Aaron smiled as he got up and got to work.

**( The Roaming Dead – Title Credits )**

**Starring…Andrew Lincoln, Jon Bernthal, Lennie James, Steven Yeun, Laurie Holden, Jeffrey Demunn, Chandler Riggs, Norman Reedus**

**Also Starring…Emma Bell, Adrian Turner, Scott Wilson, Melissa McBride, Lauren Cohan, Emily Kinney, Noah Emmerich and Josh Stewart as Aaron Hood. **

Rick sat at the Greene family dinner table and thought about what to do next about Aaron Hood. There was five other seats at the table, and only one was empty. Rick, Shane, Morgan, Glenn, and Daryl were all sitting at the table. Hershel, Maggie, Beth, Carol, Jenner, Amy and Dale were standing in the kitchen.

"So, I only see a few options that would work out fine." Shane started to suggest his ideas. Everyone already knew where Shane stood on the subject.

"Why'd you even bring the asshole to the fucking farm? Should've just let his ass wherever you guys were at." Daryl roared, and nobody really knew why he was so mad the last couple of weeks, except for Shane. And only Shane.

"We gotta think about our group, not some stranger with a gun." Morgan said and Glenn agreed.

"Well, we should let him go, it's the right thing to do. Didn't you say he saved your life?" Dale was always the man who wanted to keep our humanity.

"His buddy did." Otis said. "I don't know about Aaron, he's…strange. He just wants to come with us as soon as he sees us, it's peculiar." He added.

"I'll go talk to him." Andrea said out of nowhere. She had walked into the kitchen.

"What? No." Shane objected.

"I know him. Aaron Hood, he was a co-worker. Trust me." Andrea informed.

"You didn't think to mention this sooner?" Daryl scoffed.

"You guys were keeping me in the dark." Andrea pulled out an excuse.

"Alright." Rick accepted and Andrea nodded and walked outside.

"I don't like this, man." Shane said.

"Neither do I, but this is better than anything else." Rick said. Rick, Shane and Daryl all followed Andrea. Andrea looked behind her to Shane and she nodded. Shane nodded back and gripped his gun in case he had tried anything fishy. The four had reached the shack, and Rick put in the combination code of the padlock and the door to the shack opened. Rick looked inside and Aaron was nowhere to be found.

"Son of a bitch!" Shane yelled. Daryl went inside and saw a loose board in the shack. Aaron had broken through and ran into the forest.

"He's gone." Daryl said.

Andrea walked up to Glenn, he was cleaning his new hat he had recently picked up at a gas station.

"Glenn." Andrea called out. Glenn turned around and saw Andrea, she was wearing a brown long-sleeved shirt that was curled up to the elbow, she was also wearing some make-up which Glenn didn't really understand why. Her hair was in a bun, like most girls at his high school had. She was pretty, but Glenn never thought of her that way.

"What's up?" Glenn replied. Andrea gulped and pulled out a list from his pocket, she handed it to Glenn.

"Could you make a run into town for me? And keep it between us, please?" Andrea asked. Glenn rolled up the list and read the contents.

"Holy shit, have you told him yet?" Glenn asked.

"No, not yet."

"Why not!?"

"Just, keep it between us, Glenn. Please." Andrea begged and Glenn nodded.

"I'll be back." Glenn said as he walked over to Rick leaning on a car talking to Shane and Carl.

"I want to learn how to shoot." Carl blurted.

"Where did that come from?" Said Rick. Carl took a deep breath and said, "What if that Aaron guy comes back and hurts someone? And I'm the only one nearby, I need to protect the farm!" Carl felt all noble after that. Shane smirked and looked at Rick.

"I can teach him. But your call. I know for sure you don't know shit about instructing." Shane laughed. Rick looked to Carl and kneeled down. He had a spare gun in his hand and Carl was staring at it for about a minute.

"It's not a toy. It's a weapon. Every bullet counts, if you waste one, you might end up needing it later, got it?" Rick said and handed it to Carl. Carl gulped as soon as he got ahold of the gun.

"Yeah, it can be scary at first, it's only a thing though. It can't hurt you." Shane added and saw Glenn standing there.

"Um, I'm going to go on a run." Glenn told Shane and Rick.

"What for?" Rick wanted details.

"Just basic stuff." Glenn lied.

"Um, alright. You going alone?" Rick asked.

"I'm going with him." Said a voice from behind. It was Maggie, she was wearing a white cowboy hat that was falling off her head in a bit.

"That's fine. I'll go alone. I'm better that way." Glenn said.

"Too bad." Maggie smirked.

"Okay, Glenn, be careful." Rick said and Carl told Shane to follow him. Carl and Shane went away. Maggie said she was going to get horses for the both of them, and Glenn started to walk away, but Rick grabbed his arm to stop. He touched his wound.

"Ow." Glenn said.

"Sorry. Is there anything you wanna say, Glenn?" Rick knew Glenn was acting weird.

"No. Nothing." Glenn lied again, which was unlike him, since he was a terrible liar and didn't lie much.

"You left. I told you I'm not taking you back." Daze said.

"These assholes were locking me up in a shack. Can you blame me for wanting to leave?" Aaron said. They were talking in a road, not far from the farm.

"How did you find me, anyways?" Daze asked.

"Where's Tyrone?" Aaron asked. Daze scratched his head.

"Went on a run." Daze said.

"Look, I'm sorry, but I'm not living like a prisoner. I'm coming back with you." Aaron declared himself as part of Daze's group once again.

"Okay. Randall is going to be pissed. But Dave and Tony will be fine with it." Daze said. "C'mon."

Glenn was surprised how fast this all happened. They went on a run and grabbed condoms and all of a sudden, they were having sex. "Mmm." Maggie moaned and Glenn unbuckled his pants, and Maggie unbuckled hers. Maggie laid down on the ground and pulled down her pants, and her white panties were pulled down as well. Glenn started to fuck her. Maggie moaned. She moaned and moaned. Glenn started to moan as well.

"Fuck." Glenn moaned. Maggie laughed and she told him to stop. Glenn laughed and got up and started to put his clothes back on.

"Where the hell did that come from?" Maggie laughed as she did the same as Glenn.

"I'm not complaining." Glenn smiled.

"Me neither." Maggie said as she got up and nodded for Glenn. Glenn had the pills Andrea needed and had them in his bag.

"I got to get one more thing." Maggie said to Glenn as she went over to the main desk. She hopped over it and kneeled down to grab some things for her own personal self. Glenn didn't really need to know what she used. Maggie was searching through the shelves as a walker popped out of nowhere and pounced on her. She fell to the ground, hitting her head.

"Ah!" Maggie saw black. She started to pass out as Glenn yelled, "Maggie!" Glenn grabbed his machete that Carl found in a toolbox on the highway and hopped over the shelf and hit the walker in the head, he then grabbed it by it's armpits and threw the walker back. Maggie was knocked out cold.

"Shit." Glenn said.

Amy was keeping watch on top of the RV. Jenner walked up and climbed up the ladder to the RV.

"Hey." Jenner said to Amy and Amy smiled and said hi back.

"Hershel asked me if I could help him with something, and don't freak out when I tell you this." Jenner said. Amy nodded.

"There are walkers in the barn." Jenner told Amy. Amy stood up and looked at him with her big eyes.

**On The Next Episode of AMC's The Roaming Dead**

"Walkers in the barn?" Amy was frightened of what was next.

"Yeah, he strayed from the flock, yeah. But that doesn't mean he can't earn his way back into the fold. We can't find it in our hearts to forgive him, knowing full well, he may choose not to accept our love, but he will surely wish he had." Daze announced as Aaron is punched in the face by Daze.

"What the hell is this!?" Rick yelled at Hershel.

"Take this." Shane gave a gun to Carl.

"Help!" Glenn yelled as he held an injured Maggie in his hands.

"DADDY!" Beth yelled.


	13. S2Ep7 - Cold Light of Day

**The Walking Dead**

**2x07 – Cold Light of Day**

**TV-MA LV**

Amy looked at Jenner with a shocking glare. She thought he was kidding at first, so she let out a nervous chuckle.

"Look, I know how it seems. But, he thinks they're still themselves, somehow."

"That's bullshit. They're dead. When they turn, they become monsters. They kill." Amy argues.

"Jesus, Amy. It's his family." Jenner sighs and scratches his head, "Look. I don't like this either, but this is his land. You want to go back to living on the highway, where a herd is most likely going to pass by? C'mon, just don't say anything. Not to Andrea, Not to Rick, nobody. It's for the best." Jenner was asking a lot, and Amy did not like this at all.

"Please." Jenner added as a final attempt to convince her to keep quiet about it. Amy took a deep breath, and looked up to Jenner.

"Fine. But it won't be my fault when the group finds out." Amy says as Jenner thanks her and climbs down the ladder.

"Let's go." Jenner says as he walks toward Hershel waiting by the barn. Amy stares off into the distance, to Hershel and worries about what will happen next.

**( The Walking Dead – Title Credits )**

**Starring…Andrew Lincoln, Jon Bernthal, Lennie James, Steven Yeun, Laurie Holden, Jeffrey Demunn, Norman Reedus**

**Also Starring…Emma Bell, Adrian Turner, Scott Wilson, Melissa McBride, Lauren Cohan, Emily Kinney, Noah Emmerich, Josh Stewart as Aaron Hood, and Michael Madsen as Daze Rodgers**

"People ain't gon' like this." A man said with a heavy weapon that closely resembled the M4A1, with some modifications of course. The second man was holding the same gun, but had a slightly different tint to it. They were guarding a big wall, which inside was a huge community that had about thirty-forty men.

"What are you gonna do about it, Earl?" The second man replied as he wiped the sweat off his face. "Goddamn, it's hot out here." He said as he pulled out a rag from his back pocket and rubbed it over his face.

"Yo, let me borrow that, Gary." Earl said as he held his hand out, lifting the gun with his other hand.

"Fuck no. Get your own." Gary retorted. Earl rolled his eyes. The car parked right in front of them, it was a yellow Humvee with shiny rims. The door opened, out came Daze, and then the passenger door opened and Aaron came out.

"Daze, this is a bad idea." Earl growled.

"Fuck off, Earl." Daze basically punched him in the face. Earl and Gary opened up the wall to the community, and Aaron and Daze went inside. Daze stopped, and turned around to Gary.

"We're having a staff meeting. The commissary, I'll give you ten minutes." Daze ordered and pushed Aaron ahead.

"We're on the same side, man." Aaron said to Daze, who kept pushing him.

"I'm not so sure about that." Daze cocked the gun and told him to keep moving.

…**..…..…**

"What if he comes back? To kill us or something?" Carol started to panic.

"Calm down, everyone." Dale said with a strong voice, but it wasn't enough.

"What's he going to do, Dad?" Duane held on to his father.

"Nothing, son. Why don't you go hang with Carl? Maybe show him the comic book you found yesterday." Morgan told him to go away in the nicest way possible. Duane was too young for this world. Morgan would protect his son, no matter what. Sophia was hugging Carol, shaking a bit.

"All y'all are taking this out of hand. Why the hell would he ask to come with, and then break out? He ain't comin' back. He's by himself." Daryl yelled out loud. It did calm people down.

"Look, me, Shane, Andrea and Daryl can all go look for him this afternoon, but for now, we need to keep calm." Rick ran his fingers through his hair, stressing his point across.

"What if he comes here?" Beth panics.

"For god's sake, can you stop whinin'? He ain't coming back." Daryl rolled his eyes.

"Daryl, a word?" Rick asked. Rick stepped outside.

"I don't need no damn counseling. Good lord." Daryl complained as he followed Rick outside.

"What?" Daryl asked. Rick glared at him.

"What the hell is going on with you?" Rick was concerned.

"Hell do you care?" Daryl retorted.

"Why did Merle leave?" Rick asked. Daryl glared at him, as soon as Rick saw that look, he wanted to take his question back. But Rick didn't. He needed an answer, right now.

"He killed T-Dog." Daryl finally said after a few moments of silence. Rick was shocked at what he had just heard. "Back at Atlanta, he threw a walker at T-Dog." Daryl explained and Rick looked through the screen door of the farmhouse to make sure nobody was overhearing the conversation.

"Then I yelled at his ass, and he took off. Only Shane and you know. Haven't told anybody else." Daryl finished his explanation.

"Do you know why?" Rick asked calmly.

"I don't fuckin' know, he's a racist!" Daryl yelled and the survivors in the farmhouse could overhear him.

"Oh shit!" Jimmy yelled right over to the barn, where Rick tried to spot what was going on. Jenner and Amy were grabbing walkers by the neck and pushing them into the barn. Hershel was doing the same. Rick was confused, but angry, what the hell were they doing? Rick and Daryl started running towards the barn.

"What the hell is this?!" Rick yelled while he was still a few meters away from them. Daryl swung his crossbow into his hands and was ready to kill any of the walkers. Soon, the rest of the group came outside and saw what was going on.

"What the hell?" Daryl yelled as him and Rick reached the outside of the barn.

"What…?" Shane mumbled as he reached where everyone else was at.

"Hershel, told you this was a bad idea." Otis said to Hershel.

"Quiet, Otis." Patricia said.

"Jesus Christ." Andrea spotted Amy helping him. Amy looked at Andrea and gave an expression that basically said 'Go along with it' but that didn't help. Andrea was against this fully.

"This is his land, he can do what he wants!" Jenner argued.

"Stay back, Duane." Morgan put his kid behind him.

"Take this." Shane gave a weapon to Carl.

"Put your guns down!" Hershel ordered.

"Not when you've got killers in your grip!" Shane pulled out his weapon and shot the walker that Jimmy was holding onto.

"Shane!" Rick yelled.

"What exactly is going on here? This fucking guy is locking up walkers in a barn!?" Shane didn't stop. He was pushing Hershel. Shane shot the walker Jenner had and the one Beth had.

"Stop!" Hershel cried.

"Jenner's right, this isn't our land! Stop it, Shane!" Rick yelled. Shane ignored Rick and pointed the gun at Hershel's walker.

"You think this is a person? It's a killer!" Shane yelled. Daryl ran up and kicked him in the back, the gun firing into the air.

"He said stop." Daryl put his foot on Shane's back.

"Get off me, man." Shane said in a low, growling voice that was abnormal for him, but it didn't scare the hunter.

"Go do your shit." Daryl nodded to Hershel as he continued. Morgan walked over to Jimmy, Jenner and Amy and dragged the body Amy had and Jenner dragged the walker body he had and the same with Jimmy. Hershel pushed the walker forward, and unlocked the barn, he pushed the walker inside through the small space and Hershel's leg popped, making him fall down. The walker fell down in his direction.

"DADDY!" Beth screamed. Daryl took his foot off Shane and ran to help Hershel. Rick started to run but then saw Daryl and figured he had it handled. But then he saw that the walkers pounding on the barn door and they broke through, and smacking the walker trying to bite Hershel in the back of the head, which only pushed it closer to him. The walker growled and grabbed Hershel's arm and was so close to biting him. Daryl ran up with his knife and killed the walker. The other walkers got through the barn and were let loose. Daryl was pushed down and killed the walker that tackled him. Another walker fell on him.

"Shit." Rick said as he pulled out his weapon of choice and fired at the walkers.

"Oh shit." Otis pulled out his rifle and started firing at the walkers. Morgan, Andrea, Amy, Jenner, Dale, Shane and Glenn joined in.

"Ah, fuck you!" Daryl groaned as he tried to pull Hershel out of the way, fighting off walkers. He slashed his knife in a walker's head, but got stuck in the jaw, he tried to pull it out, but it was stuck in there good.

"Hershel, get up and run, I got ya!" Daryl ordered and Hershel tried to get up but slipped, and a walker fell on his back.

"Good god." Shane shot the walker grabbing Hershel. They all shot the walkers. They kept shooting till there was none left. Daryl finally got the knife out of the walker's jam and kicked it back and reached down to it and stabbed it right in the head. Hershel got up and walked to Maggie and Beth, who hugged him.

"Get off my land." Hershel turned around to the group. "NOW!" Hershel screamed and that was the loudest anybody had heard him scream.

"Hershel, we can-" Rick tried to reason with Hershel, but he was interrupted.

"NO! GET OFF MY LAND! LEAVE!" Hershel screamed again.

"Glenn, you can stay, Duane, Morgan, Amy, Edwin you may stay! The rest, LEAVE!" Hershel made a decision and that was final.

"Fine then. Who's leavin' and stayin'?" Daryl asked. Glenn looked at Maggie. Duane looked up to his father and Amy looked to Andrea.

"I'm sorry, Rick. I have to keep my boy safe, I'm not sending him out there again." Morgan decided.

"Da-" Duane started, "Don't." Morgan hushed him up.

"I understand." Rick said and he shook Morgan's hand.

"I'm sorry, Rick. I can't go out there again." Glenn told Rick and Rick looked down and Glenn knew he was disappointed. Rick nodded and went over to Amy and Jenner.

"What about you guys?"

"Wherever my sisters goes, I go." Amy said and stood next to Andrea. Rick looked to Jenner.

"I'm not going." Jenner said and Amy looked at him with a shocked face.

"What?" Amy walked up to him.

"I'm sorry. No." Jenner refused. Amy raised her hands up in the air and scoffed.

"After everything, you are gonna leave us? Them!?" Amy started to yell.

"Hey, stop it." Andrea pulled Amy back. "It's his decision."

"Whatever." Amy turned around and walked away.

"A-" Jenner started but just stopped and sighed.

"We got our group. Let's go." Dale said as he nodded over to the RV.

**On The Next Episode of AMC's The Walking Dead…**

"On the road once again, huh?" A voice said. Rick pulled out his gun and pointed at the trees.  
"Who are you!?" He yelled.

"The group is split!" Dale groaned.

"This is it. Are you ready for this, Aaron?" Daze asked as he pulled out a hatchet from a toolbox.

"We are who we are." Aaron announced.

"AHHHH!" Amy screamed.

"NO!" Andrea yelled as she ran over.


	14. S2Ep8 - Killer Instinct

**The Walking Dead**

**2x08 – The Road**

**TV-MA LV**

The group was kicked out, after the barn shootout at Hershel's farm, the group was kicked out. Rick understood why they were exiled, but he didn't like it. He would do anything for Carl to be safe.

"See anything?" Andrea asked as she was searching cars on the highway that Sophia almost got lost on.

"Not yet." Dale replied with a tone that implied he was getting frustrated.

"This is ridiculous. Why don't we go down the street more?" Andrea suggested.

"No. Search the cars first, and then we'll talk." Rick joined the conversation immediately.

"Alright." Andrea rolled her eyes and she continued searching a car she was scavenging. So far she had found a few empty water bottles and a bloody dishrag.

"On the road again, are we?" Said a man with a black bandit mask and he walked up with a machine gun. Rick recognized the voice. Andrea grabbed her gun and pointed at the stranger.

"Put your gun down, asshole!" Andrea took charge. Rick looked at him.

"Daze?" Rick asked.

**( The Walking Dead – Title Credits )**

**Starring…Andrew Lincoln, Jon Bernthal, Lennie James*, Steven Yeun*, Laurie Holden, Jeffrey Demunn, Norman Reedus**

**(* represents a character that does not appear in this episode )**

**Also Starring… Emma Bell, Melissa McBride, Josh Stewart as Aaron Hood and Michael Madsen as Daze Rodgers**

"You got anything?" Daryl asked as he pointed his crossbow at something he didn't exactly see.

"Nope. You?" Amy said as she continued to look around with the hunting rifle Daryl had given her for help in hunting.

"I'm hungry." Said Sophia.

"I know. We all are, sweetie." Carol assured her.

"Me too." Carl said.

"Daryl. Over here." Shane whispered sharply and Daryl slowly walked towards him and Shane crouched as did Daryl. Daryl got his eyes on a deer. The deer was standing behind a tree.

"Tough shot." Daryl whispered.

"Want me to do it?" Amy asked.

"No." Daryl looked through the scope of his crossbow and took his shot. The deer fell, but Daryl didn't shoot it.

"Nice shot." Shane smiled.

"Wasn't me." Daryl looked to Shane as they both hid behind a tree. Amy did the same and Carol pushed Sophia down and they both hid behind a log.

"That's my fuckin' dear, asshole. What are ya doin' out here?" A man said. He was joined by another man.

"Waitin' for the boss. What the fuck are you doin'? You ain't apart of the huntin' squad." The second man said harshly to the first man.

"Let's head back to the highway." Shane whispered.

"They are gonna see us, Shane." Daryl replied.

"What exactly are you dumbasses doing out here?" A familiar face showed up. Aaron.

"Shit." Daryl wiped his face.

"Is that…?" Shane worried.

"It is." Daryl sighed.

…

"What do you want, Daze?" Rick asked as he was pointing his weapon at Daze's head.

"Not gonna hurt y'all, put your guns down. Me and Rick are good friends." Daze laughed.

"Daze?" A man asked.

"Who the fuck is this?" Andrea pointed her gun at the guy climbing over the rail to the highway. Another man followed him.

"Relax. This is Gary and Earl. And you know the other guy." Daze chuckled. The third man climbed over the rail and it was Aaron Hood.

"Son of a bitch." Rick growled.

"Calm down. You guys locked me up. You expect me to wait and get executed?" Aaron crossed his arms, he was wearing the same clothes he was wearing in the shack they had locked him in.

"Aaron." Andrea looked at Aaron, and he turned to her.

"Andrea. Well well, never stopped for a visit?" Aaron smirked.

"Shut the fuck up, everyone. Why don't we just fuckin' go?" Gary grumbled. Daze pulled out his gun and shot Gary in the head, Earl was shocked but Daze gave him a threatening look that made him not do anything.

"What the hell?" Rick was shocked as well.

"He was interrupting the conversation. Do you wanna interrupt it as well?" Daze threatened Rick.

"Why don't we all just calm down, and no more shooting." Aaron motioned his hands down to calm things down. Dale was quiet and sitting there all scared.

"Hey, old man! You got any water? I could use one!" Daze asked.

"I've got some." Earl said as he pulled out a bottle of water from his bag.

"I asked earlier if anybody had any water. You said you didn't. You lied. Why?" Daze grabbed his shirt collar.

"I-I didn't-" Daze punched Earl in the face, he then kicked Earl in the face, killing him.

"I don't like liars." Daze took off his boots and tossed them into the forest. He then took Earl's boots and put them on.

"These fit me better."

Andrea, Rick, and Dale looked in shock as Aaron was looking to Rick. Aaron was mouthing words, but Rick didn't understand.

"Now. Where is the rest of your group?" Daze asked in a tone that tried to tell them that he was saying it as politely as he could.

"I don't like being rude." Daze asked again.

"Calm down." Aaron said to Daze.

"I want to know where their group is. I want to bring them to our place. It'll be fun!" Daze chuckled.

"You had a few to drink. You killed Gary and Earl. Calm the fuck down, Daze." Aaron grabbed his arm to restrain him.

"No, you fuck off, Aaron. Don't make me kill you, too. Earl is a liar and Gary is an asshole. They deserve it. Assholes deserve to die. Liars to deserve to die. Rapists deserve to die. You are on the verge of becoming an asshole." Daze pointed his gun at Aaron's chest.

"I'm going to count to three. Where's your group at?" Daze then pointed the gun at Andrea's head. Rick was standing right there and he was about to jump at him. Rick jumped at him to grab him, but Daze kicked him back.

"C'mon! It'll be fun! What's the problem?" Daze smiled.

Daryl, Carol, Sophia, Carl and Amy came out.

"Was that so hard?" Daze turned around and Andrea then pulled out her gun but Daze quickly turned around and smacked her in the face.

"Hey!" Amy yelled as she ran up and Daze then smacked Amy and started to choke her.

"Put her down!" Daryl pulled out the crossbow.

"Why don't we be civilized?" Daze chuckled.

"Let her go. Or we'll shoot you." Rick said as he backed up and pointed a gun, and Dale was pointing his rifle at Daze. Andrea with her pistol, Daryl with his crossbow.

"Stay back, Sophia." Carol pushed Sophia back behind her.

"Stop it, Daze." Aaron said to Daze.

"Come on out, my friends!" Daze yelled.

Twelve men came out of nowhere and had heavy machine guns. They were pointing them at Daryl, Rick, Dale, and Andrea.

"Fuck." Aaron sighed.

Daze dropped Amy and she fell to the ground, choking. Andrea ran to her side and looked at her with a shocked face.

"Come with me." Daze smiled. One of them grabbed Daryl, another grabbed Andrea, another got Carol and Sophia, another got Carl and Rick, another got Dale, and another got Amy. Aaron walked with Daze. The other six heavy equipped men followed behind everyone else.

"You are all going to like what we have in store for you." Daze laughs hysterically as he walks forward.

**On The Next Episode of AMC's The Walking Dead…**

"This is it. Are you ready for this, Aaron?" Daze pulled out a hatchet from a supply closet and Aaron looked at him with a confused face.

"Where is Shane?" Rick asked.

"He ran." Daryl said.

"We have to find them." Morgan said to Hershel.

"You aren't going to find them again." Hershel killed Morgan's hope.

"You guys don't know who you are messing with." Aaron said to Rick, Daryl and Andrea.

"Follow me." Aaron ordered as he walked out the back door. Rick, Daryl, Andrea, Amy and Dale followed.

**I have Big Events planned next episode! Deadly plans! Who's next on the chopping block? ;)**


	15. S2Ep9 - Treason

**The Walking Dead**

**2x09 – "Treason"**

Daze Rodgers smiled, he was not the best looking man in the world, but he considered himself well enough.

"To us!" Tony said as he poured himself a glass of wine. He then poured another glass but for Daze.

"This has to be the best fuckin' wine that I've ever tasted." Daze chuckled. A knock was heard on the door. Tony nodded and he stood up and walked towards the doorway, he opened the door and Aaron stood there.

"I need to speak with Daze." Aaron immediately said. Daze finished his wine and set it down on the table.

"Tony. Do me a favor, and get me some more bottles of that wine. Tomorrow?" Daze chuckled as he stood up and Tony nodded and walked out. Aaron walked inside and Daze went over to a closet and opened it, Aaron looked what was inside, because he was always curious. He was never aware of what was in there. Daze grabbed a sharp hatchet and turned around, feeling the sharp blade.

"What do you need, Aaron?" Daze asked as he held the hatchet in his hand.

"Why are they here?" Aaron raised his eyebrow.

"Why not? What do you have against them?" Daze threw at him.

"Look, they will take any chance they can to escape. You know that, don't you? Let them go, Daze."

"This is it. Are you ready for this, Aaron?" Daze raised up his hatchet and slightly pointed it at Aaron.

"Ready for what? I don't-" Aaron begun to say as Daze gave him the hatchet. Aaron took it and titled his head and squinted his eyes.

"You are going to kill that leader. Nick." Daze ordered Aaron.

"His name is Rick." Aaron corrected him as he held the hatchet.

"Whatever. Kill the leader in front of his boy. You're going to make Rick a martyr." Daze told him to as he closed up the supply closet and locked it.

"But-" Aaron started but he was stopped by Daze.

"Aaron, you are one of my best soldiers. Next to Tyrone. Except Tyrone recently commit treason. Do you know what I do to the traitors? Are you going to make the same mistake Tyrone did?" Daze threatened Aaron, but it didn't scare Aaron.

"Get it done." Daze ordered and Aaron nodded and walked out the door.

**( The Walking Dead – Title Credits )**

**Starring…Andrew Lincoln, Jon Bernthal, Lennie James, Steven Yeun, Laurie Holden, Jeffrey Demunn, Norman Reedus, Chandler Riggs**

**Also Starring…Emma Bell, Adrian Turner, Scott Wilson, Lauren Cohan, Emily Kinney, Noah Emmerich, Josh Stewart as Aaron Hood, Michael Madsen as Daze Rodgers, and Ariel Meredith as Ava Mendes**

A girl with long brown hair which was kind of shaggy had a huge wrench and was working on a vehicle. Aaron saw her crouching down working on the dirty old truck. Aaron walked over to her. She was wearing a blue tang top which had spaghetti straps. She had tight blue jeans and torn up sandals.

"How's it coming, Ava?" Aaron asked. Ava put the wrench down and turned around.

"Could you fuck off? I'm busy." Ava retorted and Aaron put his hands up as if she was pointing a gun at him.

"Chill. I know you're still mad at me, but I need to talk to you. It's important, hear me out." Aaron calmly said. Ava put her hand on her hips and glared at him.

"We have to leave. Daze is insane. He killed Gary and Earl." Aaron said to her and her eyes widened.

"Are you fucking serious? He killed them? Why!?" Ava questioned as she grabbed her big wrench off the ground.

"Gary interrupted a conversation, so Daze shot him. Earl lied about having water earlier, so Daze shot him too. Now Daze wants me to make Rick a martyr." Aaron explained and gave him a glance that basically told her to 'shut up and obey'. Ava said she would come with and she did. Aaron nodded his head to a shack that was holding Rick and Carl Grimes, Daryl Dixon, Amy and Andrea.

"We need to get them out of here." Aaron said. Ava nodded and they walked to the shack, which was guarded by a man that had a nametag, his name was Ian and he held a heavy machine gun that most of the guards had.

"Daze told us to check in on the prisoners." Aaron lied to Ian, he didn't really know Ian at all. Ava stood next to him and looked at Aaron nervously, then to Ian.

"Why don't you get Daze to tell me himself?" Ian growled. Aaron rolled his eyes then turned around but then pulled out the hatchet given to him by Daze and hit Ian in the head with the butt of the hatchet. Ava opened the shack and grabbed the weapon Ava had. Aaron walked in and saw Rick, Carl, Daryl, Amy and Andrea. The five of them had duct tape over their mouths. Aaron took off Rick's tape and he groaned.

"Shh. I'm going to get y'all out of here. As long as you don't lock me up again.

"We're not leaving with Carol or Sophia!" Rick said and Aaron just ran his fingers through his hair.

"Fuck! I don't even know where they are! We're fucked, okay? I need to get you five out of here now." Aaron sighed as he and Ava took their tape off.

"What is happening, Dad?" Carl asked.

"You really gonna trust this guy?" Daryl asked Rick.

"Would you rather stay here? He doesn't know where your farm is, he can't do anything." Aaron told them.

"Aaron. Are you on our side or not?" Andrea asked out of the blue.

"Yes." Aaron said.

**2 Hours Later**

"Keep watch." Aaron told Ava as she grabbed the heavy machine gun she had gotten from Ian earlier. Ava rolled her eyes as Aaron walked over to Andrea and Amy. Rick, Daryl and Carl were sitting down a little bit ways away. Aaron sat on a log next to Andrea and Amy.

"Aaron. What the hell is wrong with this Daze guy?" Andrea asked with her eyebrows raised as high as Aaron ever saw.

"Do you think you can trust this Ava chick? What if she shoots us from behind?" Amy worried.

"I know Ava. She wouldn't do something like that. She lost her sister, and her father. She's broken, but she'll fight for us. For me, I guess. I met her on the road. Third day this started. She was with her father, Ray and her sister, Eve. They let me join them with open arms. We were together for about three weeks, then a hundred walkers showed up on our camp, and ate Eve and Ray. Me and Ava got away, we were alone for the next few days until Daze picked us up. He was the same person back then. Insane and Brutal. I just went along with it to keep my own ass safe. It's been five months since all this started. And I've been there for about three to four months. And I will get your group home and you won't have to worry about them anymore. He won't find you." Aaron gave a big speech and Andrea nodded, as did Amy.

"Aaron." Rick said and Aaron turned around and got up and walked towards Rick, Daryl and Carl.

"What happened at the farm? Where is the rest of your people?" Aaron asked and Rick pulled out his gun and pointed it at Aaron's head.

"You fucker. Tell your girlfriend to call your watchdogs off." Rick cocked the gun and Aaron eyes widened. Ava cocked the machine gun.

"Rick, what the hell are you doing?" Andrea exclaimed.

"This guy fucked us! I see a bunch of shadows in the trees! They are watching us!" Rick said as he looked through the barrel of the gun.

"Put that crossbow down, hun." Ava smirked to Daryl, who was pointing it at Ava.

"Fuck you." Daryl growled.

"Maybe next time, sugar." Ava shot Daryl in the head, he fell to the ground.

"No! AVA! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!?" Aaron yelled. Rick screamed and shot at Ava, he hit her in the shoulder and Rick pushed Carl against a tree, pushing himself against the tree as well. Aaron ducked down as Ava shot at Andrea, Amy and Rick and Carl.

"Kill them, boys!" Ava called out and five strangers came out from the trees and started shooting at Andrea and Amy. Aaron shot at one stranger, killing him. Ava fired at Aaron, who was taking cover behind a tree. Rick fired at a stranger, and he fell down, but got back up and shot Rick in the arm. Rick then fired at the same stranger and killed him. The final three strangers fired at Amy.

"Amy!" Andrea cried.

"Don't worry!" Amy fired at a stranger and killed him. Three more came from the woods and Ava walked over to Rick and Carl pointing a gun at them. Two strangers pointed the gun at Andrea and Amy. The three that had just arrived pointed at Aaron.

"Goodbye, honey." A stranger cocked the gun at Amy. Amy closed her eyes then a man shot the stranger in the head. Another man shot the one pointing at Andrea. It was Morgan and Glenn. Shane and Maggie ran out and fired at the other strangers. Soon the only one left was Ava. Aaron got up and grabbed a gun and pointed it at Ava.

"Aaron, you willing to risk the kids life?" Ava cocked the gun at Carl's head. Rick was standing there clenching his fists. Aaron cocked his gun and fire at Ava. She fell to the ground, dead. Aaron chucked the gun to the tree and walked away.

"Aaron." Andrea tried to grab his shoulder, but he shrugged it off and stormed away.

"What the hell is this?" Shane growled.

"Calm down, Shane. He's with us." Rick said as he hugged Carl.

"Oh shit, Daryl." Morgan gasped as he crouched down to Daryl.

"That bitch shot him in the head. Fuck…" Amy sighed.

"He's alive." Morgan eyes widened as he picked up Daryl and he ran towards Hershel's farm.

"Holy fucking shit. What exactly happened?" Glenn exclaimed.

"We never should have kicked you off the farm, this is really bad. What were they doing?" Maggie asked.

"Long story. We need to get back. Make sure Daryl is alright." Rick said and Carl, Andrea, Amy, Shane, Glenn and Maggie all took off.

"Fucking hell." Morgan gasped. Rick crouched down and saw that Daze's men were at the farm.

"Get over here, girly!" One of the men said as he grabbed Beth's hair and pulled her.

"Don't touch my daughter!" Hershel yelled. Beth screamed.

"Get off!" Beth yelled.

"We gotta go down there!" Glenn said as he cocked the shotgun he had in his hands.

"No. You'll put them in more danger." Aaron said.

The men grabbing Beth pushed her down and he unbuckled his belt.

"STOP!" Jenner yelled.

"Fuck this shit." Aaron sighed and he ran towards the farm and shot at the man trying to rape Beth.

"What the fuck?" Jenner said and he jumped down on the ground.

Rick, Glenn, Morgan, Maggie, Jenner, Hershel, Aaron, Shane, Andrea, Amy all fired at Daze's men.

One man was standing on top of the barn and he jumped and fell and broke his leg.

"I gotta go, I'm sorry!" A man yelled as he drove away in a black Dodge Charger.

"No! Don't leave me!" Aaron recognized that voice. Rick, Shane and Aaron ran over to the man and saw that it was Randall.

"Randall." Aaron said and Randall looked up. Aaron kicked him in the face, knocking him out.

"Lock him up. He will be trouble." Aaron said and Rick and Shane nodded and picked Randall up, who wasn't very heavy.

"Daddy?" Duane cried and Duane ran out to hug Morgan.

"I'm okay, Duane. I'm alright."

"Hershel, I need help. It's Daryl. He got shot in the head." Morgan said as he carried Daryl inside.

'Patricia, Jimmy, grab my tools." Hershel said as he walked inside the farmhouse.

"This isn't good. No, no it's not." Aaron sighed.

**On The Next Episode of AMC's The Walking Dead..**

"Carol and Sophia. That's our priority." Rick grabbed Aaron's shirt and pushed him against the wall.

"Dropping him off at this school is his best chance. The only chance we can take. Randall is a threat, plain and simple." Aaron said.

"Rick is out there for the hundredth time! What if he comes back and kills us?" Amy panics.

"Stay away from her. Don't you ever come inside this house again." Maggie ordered Amy.

"Only one thing you can do." Aaron said as he tossed the gun to Rick.

"You can't keep your boy safe, Rick. At least Aaron listens to reason." Rick punches Shane and Aaron tries to break it up.


	16. S2Ep10 - 18 Miles Out

**The Walking Dead**

**2x10 –"18 Miles Out"**

Dale looked to the man who was punching him repeatedly.

"Usually, I don't do this to old men. I'm quite a softie on the elderly. But you are one son of a bitch." Daze kicked him in the head. Dale coughed out blood and then he started mumbling.

"Say goodbye, old man." Daze pulled out a gun and clicked it. He pointed it at Dale's head. **BLACKOUT**

**( The Walking Dead – Title Credits )**

**Starring…Andrew Lincoln, Jon Bernthal, Lennie James*, Steven Yeun*, Laurie Holden, Jeffrey Demunn, Norman Reedus, Chandler Riggs***

**(* represents a character not appearing in this episode)**

**Also Starring… Emma Bell, Melissa McBride, Lauren Cohan, Emily Kinney, Noah Emmerich, Josh Stewart as Aaron Hood, Michael Madsen as Daze Rodgers, Michael Zegen as Randall, and Larenz Tate as Jordan **

Beth sat on her bed crisscrossed and had tears falling down her eye.

"_Mom? Where's Dad?" Beth asked and her mother, Annette turned around and placed her hands on her hips. _

"_I don't know. Last time I checked he was working in the barn. Where's your brother, Shawn?" Annette asked._

"_Probably upstairs with Maggie." Beth told her and Annette nodded as she grabbed a wet rag and washed a plate. _

"Beth." Maggie knocked on the door that was open.

"What?" Beth asked.

"I brought you some breakfast." Maggie said as she walked over to the bed and handed it to her. She was also handed a fork and a knife. On the plate was just simple eggs. That was all they really had these days.

"How are you?" Maggie asked.

"I'm fine." Beth lied. After what happened to her last night, she was so happy to see that man get shot right in front of her. She just wished she had the guts to be the one to kill him, not just some weak girl. Maggie gave her a glance, since she knew she wasn't telling the truth.

"I'm fine, Maggie. Leave me alone." Beth pushed her away. Maggie looked down and walked out. Beth looked at the table to her left and saw a blade. She got out of the bed and grabbed it and walked out of the room. She was going to sneak out of the house. Maggie, Andrea and Amy were in the kitchen.

"Always talking about me." Beth scoffed. She was in a hallway that leaded to the kitchen, but there was another path that leaded to the doorway. There was a room that was holding an injured Daryl. Thankfully, he survived the shot to the head. She took that path and went outside.

"Where you going?" Jenner asked. Beth gulped and hid the blade behind her back.

"Where's Aaron?" Beth asked. She had to make up some excuse.

"Didn't he go with Rick and Shane to the school?" Jenner scratched his head.

"Why would I be asking if I knew that?" Beth grumbled.

"Sorry. I'll leave it to you." Jenner said as he walked inside the house. Beth waited until he was inside the house. Beth started running, she kept running until she went into the woods. She had the blade in her hand, and in front of her she saw a walker. She hasn't ever killed one before, and she figured she might as well start now with this one. She gripped the blade good enough so she could get a good stab at it. She knew the only way to kill the walker was with hitting the brain.

"You got this, Beth. You can do it." She knew exactly where to aim and she was ready. The walker had a rotten leg and she thought the leg was gonna break off anytime soon. She ran to the walker and stabbed the walker in the head, and it fell down. She tried to pull the blade out of the walker's head, but it took some force.

"Need some help?" A voice from the woods said. She turned around and the man grabbed her mouth to quiet her and she fell to the ground. The man shushed her.

….

"Eighteen miles out. Off the Reservation. This place seems good enough." Rick said as he shut the car door and looked across the gate to see two walkers noticing them.

"Aaron, look, man-" Randall said, he was being held by Shane, with handcuffs on his wrists.

"Shut up." Aaron shut him up. Randall gulped and Rick grabbed a knife and cut himself on the finger and spread it on the gate. The walker licked it at it and Rick put the knife in the walker's head.

"My turn." Shane groaned as he did the same thing with the second walker. Shane pushed Randall to Aaron's grip. Aaron dragged him as Rick opened the gate to the school.

…

"Don't move. I'm not gonna hurt you, but I need you to keep your mouth shut." A black male who looked like he was in his late 30s was holding Beth down. He got up and took his hand off her mouth.

"What do you want?" Beth asked.

"Nothing. Are you alone?" The black man asked. Beth nodded.

"Do you have a camp nearby?" The black man asked again. Beth thought about what she was going to reply.

"No." Beth lied. The black man put his hands on his hips and sighed.

"Come with me." The black man grabbed her hand and they started walking away.

"No, stop! Let me go!" Beth yanked her hand back.

"What the hell is wrong with you? I'm not gonna leave you alone out here." The man grabbed her hand again.

"I can take care of myself, asshole. Let me go!" Beth yanked her hand again.

"Let her go, asshole. How many times are you gon' press your luck?" Daryl said with his crossbow. His head was still bandaged, and Beth widened her eyes.

"Whoa, man. I'm only tryin' to help her. Okay, I'll leave?" The black man backed up.

"Why don't you come with us. C'mon, Beth." Daryl motioned his head to the farmhouse.

"The name is Jordan. And okay." Jordan glared at Beth.

"Might want to listen to him." Beth smirked. Daryl pointed the crossbow at the back of Jordan's head. Daryl groaned and shook his head a bit.

"What the hell are you doing out here?" Daryl looked at Beth with a glare.

"Beth!" Maggie yelled and she saw Beth walked with Daryl and she saw Jordan. She grabbed her gun.

"Jesus Christ. How many guns are y'all gonna point at me?" Jordan rolled his eyes.

"Enough." Amy said with a shotgun in her hands. Andrea had her weapon that she always had in her hand.

…

"I used to go to school with Maggie! I knew who her dad was, but there is no way I would hurt her. I barely knew her, but I could tell she was good people. Please, mister, I'm not like the guys I was with! I was a new guy there, and they didn't care much about them! They found me on the road. Aaron did. Me and him had our differences, but come on! I'm not a bad guy! I used to screw around on the internet. Lived with my mom, but I lost her! Please! Don't kill me! I don't wanna die. Don't leave me here! Please! Please!" Randall pleaded for his life.

"He knows where the farm is, he knows." Shane said. Rick stood there, unknown of what to do. Shane pulled out his weapon and fired. Rick tackled him down. The shot rang by Randall's ear.

"Not now! Just not now!" Rick said.

"What if he comes to the farm and kills someone! That'll be on you!" Aaron pointed at Rick.

"Shut up!"

"Well, when Rick when? Aaron's right, he can't be trusted. We have to think about the group we have. Not some stranger. Survival, Rick. It means making hard decisions. There are rules to survival, Rick! You best learn them, now. Or something bad is going to happen." Shane spoke.

"There are no rules man, we're lost."

"No, Rick. You're lost. I don't think you can do it, man. I don't think you can keep your boy safe, Rick. At least Aaron here listens to reason." Shane said and Rick glared at him with anger. Aaron was afraid of what was gonna happen next. Rick threw a punch but Shane blocked it. Shane smashed Rick in the face with his head and Rick fell to the ground. Aaron pushed Shane to try and break the fight up. Shane punched him and Aaron fell.

"Oh, no you didn't, asshole." Aaron mumbled. Rick got up and punched Shane, Shane then pulled Rick over the car. Aaron got up and punched Shane in the face, then kicked him in the stomach, making him fall down on the ground.

"Back off, Rick!" Aaron crouched down and punched Shane repeatedly.

"You're done! You can't make these calls! Rick does! Not you! You got that?" Aaron said as he delivered a final blow to Shane and he got up and saw Randall trying to cut the rope with the knife Rick had set on the ground. Aaron walked over and kicked Randall in the back, he coughed and Aaron picked up the knife. Shane got up and shot at Aaron. Aaron was shot in the shoulder. Rick punched Shane and he fell down again.

"Fucking asshole!" Aaron groaned.

"Holy shit." Randall gulped.

Rick pulled Aaron up and looked at the wound. Behind him, Shane got up and grabbed a huge wrench and Aaron turned around just in time and they both ducked. Shane hit a window, breaking it.

"What the fuck is your problem?" Aaron walked up to him and pushed him.

"Aaron, shh." Rick shushed him. Growls were heard from inside the school. A few walkers came out, and then soon they were coming out from every corner. Randall rolled over and was under a car now. Shane pushed Aaron down, and he fell to the ground, hitting his shoulder. He groaned and then a few walkers tried to bite him.

"Shit!" Rick fired at the walkers. Shane was running away and then he saw a bus. He ran inside and closed the door.

"Get the fuck off me!" Randall got up and ran up to the walkers and kicked them off Aaron.

"Get out of here, Aaron!" Randall screamed. He kept kicking the walkers. Aaron grabbed Randall by the shirt and pulled him. Blood was dripping from Aaron's shoulder.

"Shane! Shane!" Rick yelled, then he got tackled by a walker and fell. Another walker fell on him, and then another. Rick was clueless on what to do. He fired at most of the walkers.

Shane was knifing walkers on the bus, drawing blood from himself on the bus door and slightly opening it. Shane groaned at each cut but he understood this was what he had to do.

"Rick!" Aaron whispered sharply. Rick had killed the walkers tackling on him.

"C'mon, let's go!" Aaron said. Rick thought about this for a moment. Rick had the choice to leave Shane or save him.

"Let's go." Rick ran away with Aaron and Randall.

"No, Rick. Rick!" Shane pounded on the bus windows.

Rick, Aaron and Randall got into the car they had drove here in. Rick started driving but turned around and Aaron rolled down the window and started shooting at the walkers.

"Shane, go out the back!" Aaron yelled. Shane ran and kicked open the back door and jumped into the car through the window.

"Drive!" Aaron yelled.

**Ten minutes Later..**

"It can't be easy killing anybody. You know that." Rick said to Shane.

"Get in the car." Aaron pushed Randall in the trunk.

"If you're gonna be with us, you've gotta trust me. Okay. Time for you to come back." Rick handed Shane his gun.

"We got fifteen miles left. Better start now." Aaron said.

**On The Next Episode of AMC's The Walking Dead**

"You're just gonna kill him?" Jenner said.

"People are scared! They need to be safe! I own that." Rick said.

"Rick's the leader of this group." Andrea said to Shane.

"Maybe we oughta change that." Shane said.

"He saved my life back at the school, Rick." Aaron said.

"Guy's you have to see this!" Daryl yelled.

"OH MY GOD!" Andrea cried.


End file.
